Interviews of individuals diagnosed as anti-human immunodeficiency virus-positive through the screening of blood donations in the Paris area from 1991 to 1994: Reflections on the selection of blood donors

Background: One of the aims of the medical interview routinely preceding each blood donation is the identification of individuals with a risk factor for infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Study Design and methods: Interviews were performed with individuals diagnosed as being seropositive for HIV through the systematic biologic screening of blood donations in the Paris area to establish, first, the circumstances allowing HIV-seropositive individuals to pass through the predonation medical interview and, second, the motivation of these individuals as blood donors. Risk factors of 30 HIV-infected donors identified between 1991 and 1994 were determined. Results: When asked whether they recognized the eventual risk to recipients of donated blood, 14 (47%) of 30 answered positively. Fifteen (50%) admitted having given their blood to determine their HIV status. Conclusion: These individuals did not exclude themselves from blood donation and probably hid their risk factor(s) at the predonation interview in order to be accepted as blood donors.