TABLE 1.

Characteristics of blood center respondents and their low Hct deferrals

Characteristic	All blood centers (%)	Blood center respondents by size (number of donors/year)
		10,001–50,000	50,001–100,000	100,001–200,000	>200,001
Responded to survey (%)	52 (69)	17	16	12	7
Percentage of donors deferred per year	9.0	9.7	8.9	8.0	9.7
Defined deferral period (males or females, unless specified)
1 day (or 24 hr)	38 (73)	14	10	9	6
3 days	1 (2)	0	1	0	0
7 days	2 (4)	1	1	0	0
14 days	3 (6)	0	1	1	0
21 days	1 (2)	0	1	0	0
28 days	1 (2)	0	1	0	0
21 days (female), 3 months (male)	1 (2)	0	0	0	1
Graded deferral period (males or females)
2 weeks for each 3/10 of a point	1 (2)	0	0	1	0
37% = 1-day deferral; 36% or less = 4-week deferral	1 (2)	0	0	1	0
Standard is 2 weeks; if Hb <10.5 g/dL then 2 months	1 (2)	0	1	0	0
<12.5 = 1 day; <12.0 = 2 weeks; <10.5 = 8 weeks	1 (2)	1	0	0	0
Those that are 1 to 2 points below acceptable are eligible to donate in 24 hr. Those that are 3 to 6 points below normal are eligible after 1 week.	1 (2)	1	0	0	0