Cohort Profile: The Danish Blood Donor Study

Key features

The Danish Blood Donor Study (DBDS) was established to study the impact of blood donation on the health of blood donors and to answer broader health-related research questions. The cohort is now a nationwide research resource.

The cohort was initiated in 2010 and by 2015 it covered all blood donation facilities in Denmark.

As of February 2022, DBDS includes 138 491 participants (51% women, age span at inclusion 18–70 years) who have completed a total of 371 589 questionnaires and with 1 091 499 person-years of follow-up. Information on participants from national health registries provides prospective data on hospital contacts, diagnoses, prescriptions, vital status and more.

Upon inclusion, a whole-blood sample is stored for DNA extraction. At every donation, a plasma sample is stored by the blood bank. Participants permit the use of their historical and future plasma samples for research. In total, samples from 2 293 916 donations have been collected thus far and inclusion is ongoing.

Detailed information on the Danish Blood Donor Study is available at [http://www.dbds.dk], or contact the steering committee [[email protected]].