Crescimento significativo da preocupação com a segurança transfusional vem sendo observado nas últimas décadas, paralelo às alterações demográficas e sociais da população, além dos avanços técnico-científicos, que aumentam naturalmente a demanda por transfusões de sangue. Entretanto, apesar dos investimentos na captação de doadores, seu déficit continua sendo crônico. Este trabalho teve como objetivo comparar aspectos demográficos e socioeconômicos entre indivíduos aptos, inaptos temporários e inaptos permanentes na triagem clínica para a doação de sangue, visando identificar fatores diferenciais. Constou de estudo caso-referente realizado no Hemocentro de Belo Horizonte (1994-1995), a partir de um inquérito envolvendo 3.527 candidatos à doação. Comparações das características dos candidatos aptos e inaptos foram realizadas, estratificadas por sexo. Regressão logística multinomial foi utilizada para investigar os fatores associados à aptidão para a doação. Os candidatos à doação se assemelhavam quanto ao nível socioeconômico e eram dissimilares na distribuição por sexo, faixa etária e tipo de doação. Para ambos os sexos, as seguintes características se associaram estatisticamente à aptidão: ser mais jovem (18 a 29 anos), ter união estável, estar trabalhando e não possuir automóvel. Para homens incluiu-se, ainda, ter até duas pessoas por dormitório na residência. Distintos perfis demográficos e socioeconômicos foram identificados, de acordo com o sexo e categorias de aptidão, com maior similaridade entre o perfil dos indivíduos inaptos clínicos temporários, principalmente mulheres, com o dos aptos clínicos. Portanto, justifica-se a adoção de múltiplas estratégias de captação de doadores para atingir públicos alvos específicos.

Over the last decades, growing concern regarding transfusional safety has been observed, parallel to demographic and social changes as well as technological advances and increasing demand for blood transfusions. However, despite investment to increase the number of blood donors, there is a chronic shortage of blood. The aim of this study was to compare demographic and social-economic characteristics comparing individuals that were considered eligible with temporarily and permanent non-eligible blood donors. A case-comparison study was carried out at the Blood Donation Center (Hemocentro) of Belo Horizonte from a survey involving 3,527 candidates for blood donation. Comparisons stratified by gender were made for all characteristics. Multinomial logistic regression was used to verify the association between the variables and eligibility for blood donation. Candidates for blood donation were similar according to the socio-economic level and dissimilar according to gender, age and type of donation. For both genders, the following characteristics were statistically associated in respect to eligibility for blood donation: to be young (18 to 29 years), to have a stable relationship and employment and not to own an automobile. For men, the presence of less than two people per bedroom of their residence was also statistically significant. Distinct demographic and social-economic profiles were identified in relation to gender and eligibility category. Similar profiles were found between temporarily non-eligible and eligible candidates, especially among women. Therefore, adopting multiple strategies in blood donor recruitment is justified in order to make contact with the different groups.

A case-control study evaluating the association between mental retardation and toxoplasmosis was conducted among 845 school children in Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. Cases (450) were mentally retarded children attending a public school for special education. Controls (395) were children from the regular public school system. Clinical and anthropometric examinations and interviews were carried out to determine risk factors for toxoplasmosis and mental retardation. Diagnosis of Toxoplasma gondii infection was based upon an indirect immunofluorescent test (IFA); 55% of cases and 29% of controls were positive. The Relative Odds of mental retardation in children with positive serology was 3.0 (95% CI 2.2-4.0). Maternal exposure to cats and contact with soil were associated with an increased risk of mental retardation. Retinochoroiditis was fourfold more prevalent among cases than controls and was only diagnosed in T. gondii IFA positive participants. Congenital toxoplasmosis, in its subclinical form, appears to be an important component in the etiology of mental retardation, especially in high risk (lower socio-economic) groups. The population attributable risk was estimated as 6.0 - 9.0%, suggesting the amount of mental retardation associated with this infection.