Stepping Stones or Second Class Donors?: A Qualitative Analysis of Gay, Bisexual, and Queer Men’s Perspectives on Plasma Donation Policy in Canada
Date
2021
Authors
Grace, Daniel
Gaspar, Mark
Klassen, Benjamin
Lessard, David
Anand, Praney
Brennan, David J.
Lachowsky, Nathan J.
Adam, Barry D.
Cox, Joseph
Lambert, Gilles
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
BMC Public Health
Abstract
Background: Men who have sex with men (MSM) are not eligible to donate blood or plasma in Canada if they
have had sex with another man in the last 3 months. This time-based deferment has reduced since 2013; from an
initial lifetime ban, to five-years, one-year, and now three-months. Our previous research revealed that gay, bisexual,
queer, and other MSM (GBM) supported making blood donation policies gender-neutral and behaviour-based. In
this analysis, we explored the willingness of Canadian GBM to donate plasma, even if they were not eligible to
donate blood.
Methods: We conducted in-depth interviews with 39 HIV-negative GBM in Vancouver (n = 15), Toronto (n = 13),
and Montreal (n = 11 ), recruited from a large respondent-driven sampling study called Engage. Men received some
basic information on plasma donation prior to answering questions. Transcripts were coded in NVivo following
inductive thematic analysis.
Results: Many GBM expressed a general willingness to donate plasma if they became eligible; like with whole
blood donation, GBM conveyed a strong desire to help others in need. However, this willingness was complicated
by the fact that most participants had limited knowledge of plasma donation and were unsure of its medical
importance. Participants' perspectives on a policy that enabled MSM to donate plasma varied, with some viewing
this change as a "stepping stone" to a reformed blood donation policy and others regarding it as insufficient and
constructing GBM as "second-class" donors. When discussi ng plasma, many men reflected on the legacy of blood
donor policy-related discrimination. Our data reveal a significant plasma policy disjuncture-a gulf between the
critical importance of plasma donation from the perspective of Canada's blood operators and patients and the
feelings of many GBM who understood this form of donation as less important. Conclusions: Plasma donor policies must be considered in relation to MSM blood donation policies to understand
how donor eligibility practices are made meaningful by GBM in the context of historical disenfranchisement.
Successful establishment of a MSM plasma donor policy will require extensive education, explicit communication of
how this new policy contributes to continued/stepwise reform of blood donor policies, and considerable
reconciliation with diverse GBM communities.
Description
We would like to thank our study participants for sharing their experiences
and perspectives. We are grateful for the support of our Engage office staff,
the community engagement committee members, our community partner
agencies, including the Community-Based Research Centre, and the entire
Engage research team. We are also thankful for the va luable feedback we received
from Don Lapierre and Manada Ann Roddick.
Keywords
Gay, bisexual, queer and other men who have sex with men, Blood donation, Plasma donation, Policy, Qualitative, Discrimination, HIV/AIDS, Canada
Citation
Grace, D., Gaspar, M., Klassen, B., Lessard, D., Anand, P., Brennan, D. J., Lachowsky, N., Adam, B. D., Cox, J., Lambert, G., Jollimore, J., & Hart, T. A. (2021). “Stepping Stones or Second Class Donors?: A Qualitative Analysis of Gay, Bisexual, and Queer Men’s Perspectives on Plasma Donation Policy in Canada.” BMC Public Health, 21(444), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-10480-x