Benefit and risk perceptions in transfusion medicine: blood and blood substitutes

Blood transfusion is a remarkably safe, routine procedure in clinical medicine. However, little attention has focused on the perceptions of risk associated with the receipt of blood, blood products or 'blood substitutes'. It is pertinent to ask (i) what key stakeholder groups know about transfusion, (ii) how safe they perceive blood/blood products to be, (iii) how the latter information might influence their own and others' perceptions of risk linked to transfusion, and (iv) the extent to which approved blood substitutes might be preferred over autologous or donor blood. An appreciation of what stakeholders perceive to be the benefits and risks of the receipt of blood and blood substitutes will inform future transfusion strategies. To obtain such information, a programme of research has been initiated at Nottingham. Surveys have targeted key stakeholder groups, namely, UK adult blood donors and nondonors, anaesthetists, general practitioners and health care journalists. Experimental studies examining message framing and cueing have also been conducted with undergraduate students. Such research will improve misunderstandings about current issues associated with blood donation and transfusion against the backdrop of changing public trust of health care professionals and attitudes and expectations on blood safety and benefits of blood substitutes.