comparing the prevalence of hepatitis b virus infection in stationary and mobile blood donation centers: a cross-sectional descriptive study

Background and aim: blood transfusion can save a million lives. nonetheless, every recipient is at risk for transfusiontransmissible infection, chiefly hepatitis b infection. the aim of this study was to compare stationary and mobile blood donation centers respecting the prevalence of hepatitis b in 2007 - 2016. methods: this cross-sectional descriptive study compared hepatitis b prevalence in stationary and mobile blood donation centers in southern khorasan in a ten-year period from 2007 to 2016. data were retrieved from data sheets available from iranian blood transfusion organization. results: a total of 157063 blood units had been collected in 2007 - 2016. the number of blood units collected by stationary and mobile centers was 129,899 (82.7%) and 27,164 (17.3%), respectively. total hepatitis b prevalence rate was 0.22% (348 cases). this rate in stationary and mobile centers was 0.18% (232 cases) and 0.40% (116 cases), respectively. hepatitis b prevalence was significantly greater in mobile centers than in stationary centers (p < 0.001). moreover, hepatitis b prevalence in the second five years, i.e. 2012 - 2016, was significantly lower than that in the first five years, i.e. 2007 - 2011 (p < 0.001). conclusions: hepatitis b prevalence in mobile blood donation centers is significantly higher than that in stationary centers. this problem can be due to the limited health-related knowledge of blood donors in rural areas where mainly mobile centers collect blood units. therefore, restricting blood collection by mobile centersmaybe indicated until necessary health- and donation-related educations are provided to all people in high-risk areas.