EPIDEMIOLOGICALLY INFORMED AND BEHAVIORALLY FACILITATED BLOOD-DONOR RECRUITMENT

Preferential recruitment of new blood donors from subpopulations with low rates of transfusion-transmitted diseases (TTDs) is being evaluate d as a preventive, prosocial, nonstigmatizing innovation for increasin g the safety of the blood supply. Identification of lower risk subpopu lations, selected for intensified recruitment, is ''epidemiologically informed'' through analyses of public domain surveillance data for AID S and other TTDs. The efficacy of this epidemiologic approach is illus trated with analyses for Miami. Culturally competent behavioral recrui tment strategies targeted for identified lower risk subpopulations wil l be implemented. Recruitment of lower risk donors is contrasted with approaches that ban high-risk populations from blood donation.