Demand for donated blood is met by 2% of population

By Ira Zunin

POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Oct 20, 2012

~~<p>Sixty percent of Hawaii residents will need a blood transfusion at some time in our lives. The need for blood reaches across every segment of our population. Transfusions are required by emergency and trauma patients (20 percent), heart patients (15 percent), cancer patients (11 percent), general surgery (18 percent) and general medical patients (38 percent).</p>
<p>Despite the need, only 2 percent of the population ever donates blood. Reasons for not donating blood include time restraints, fear of needles and poor health. Reasons aside, as our population grows and ages, the burden on Hawaii's blood inventory is expected to increase.</p>
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Sixty percent of Hawaii residents will need a blood transfusion at some time in our lives. The need for blood reaches across every segment of our population. Transfusions are required by emergency and trauma patients (20 percent), heart patients (15 percent), cancer patients (11 percent), general surgery (18 percent) and general medical patients (38 percent).

Despite the need, only 2 percent of the population ever donates blood. Reasons for not donating blood include time restraints, fear of needles and poor health. Reasons aside, as our population grows and ages, the burden on Hawaii's blood inventory is expected to increase. Login for more...