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HEALTH

The regions in Sweden with high age limits for blood donors – and those with no limit at all

The older you are, the less likely you are to be accepted as a blood donor in Sweden – depending on where in the country you live.

The regions in Sweden with high age limits for blood donors – and those with no limit at all
File photo: Marcus Ericsson/TT

The age at which you will be accepted as a blood donor depends on where in Sweden you live.

Blood is a natural resource and when stores begin to get low, centres appeal to the public to donate.

But if you are too old, you may not be welcome – the maximum age for giving blood varies considerably between various parts of the country, a survey by TV4 Nyheterna has shown.

For foreign residents, it is also worth keeping in mind that recent travel abroad and being able to speak Swedish may affect whether you are able to give blood.

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From the age of 65, an annual doctors’ approval is required before you give blood, but regional authorities can also set their own rules.

In Jämtland, the age limit is set at 60 years, while Dalarna, Blekinge, Örebro, Södermanland, Stockholm, Kronoberg and Gotland have no upper age limits.

The WHO states on its website that most people aged between 18 and 65 can give blood if they are in good health, but that “in some countries, regular donors over the age of 65 may be accepted at the discretion of the responsible physician. The upper age limit in some countries is 60”.

“The regions are self-governing (on this issue), so each one decides to do what’s best for that region,” consultant doctor Maria Held of the Halland Region health authority told TV4.

“(In Halland), we have chosen an age limit of 70 years because we have good access to blood and good donor recruitment. We hope that people over 70 years old will find other ways to contribute to society,” Held said.

Blood stocks can dwindle during holiday seasons as well as at weekends. Red blood cells can be stored at refrigerated temperatures for a maximum of 42 days, while platelets must be used within 5-7 days.

The maximum ages for blood donation across Sweden’s regions are as follows:

  • 60 years: Jämtland
  • 65 years: Jönköping
  • 70 years: Halland, Östergötland, Västernorrland, Kalmar
  • 75 years: Norrbotten, Västerbotten, Skåne
  • 80 years: Gävleborg, Uppsala, Västmanland, Värmland
  • No upper limit: Dalarna, Blekinge, Örebro, Södermanland, Stockholm, Kronoberg and Gotland.
  • In the West Götaland region, age limits are set by individual blood centres and range from 65 years to no limit at all.

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HEALTH

Are Danes cutting back on cigarettes and alcohol?

Danish stores sold a significantly lower quantity of alcohol and cigarettes over the counter last year, new data from Statistics Denmark show.

Are Danes cutting back on cigarettes and alcohol?

Some 3,852 cigarettes were sold year, which amounts to 804 per person over the age of 18. But that compares to a figures of 854 per person on 2022.

Cigarette sales in Denmark have been declining since 2018.

Sales of sprits, beer and wine fell by 7.8 percent, 5.3 percent and 0.9 percent respectively.

Danish business sold the equivalent of 44.4 million litres of pure alcohol, which works out at 11.9 units per week on average for each person over the age of 18.

Although that is a lower value than in 2022, it still exceeds the amount recommended by the Danish Health Authority (Sundhedsstyrelsen).

The Health Authority recommends that adults over 18 drink no more than 10 units per week and no more than four in a single day.

READ ALSO: Should Denmark raise the minimum age for buying alcohol?

“The numbers are still too high and it’s an average that could have a skewed distribution,” University of Southern Denmark professor, Janne Tholstrup, said in relation to the alcohol sales figures. Tholstrup has published research on Denmark’s alcohol culture.

That is in spite of a 30-year-trend of falling alcohol consumption, according to the professor.

“The majority of Danes stay under the recommended 10 unite per week. That means there is a large group with a persistently excessive consumption of alcohol,” she said.

The Statistics Denmark figures also show that sales of loose tobacco – such as the type used in roll-up cigarettes and pipes – also fell last year. Some 58 tonnes less were sold compared to 2022.

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