ABSTRACT Introduction:

Time series studies related to blood donor candidates and blood donations are rare in Brazil. Population aging suggests a better understanding of the context related to blood donor candidates and blood donations performed.

Objective:

The monthly series of candidates eligible to donate blood and actual donations between 2005 and 2019 at the Hemominas Foundation, Minas Gerais, Brazil, were described and analyzed.

Methods:

Ten time series were constructed of blood donor candidates and blood donations. Each series covered the period from January 2005 to December 2019. The stationarity of the series was verified by the unit root test; the data distribution, by the Shapiro-Wilk test; the trend, by the Cox-Stuart test, and; the seasonality, by the Fisher's test (significance levels of 10% for the first test and 5% for the last three).

Results:

All series were identified as non-stationary and presented trend and seasonality components. The rate of blood donor candidates and the rate of blood donations performed evidenced a positive upward trend until the last two-year analysis, when a drop occurred, from 1.75% and 1.42% in 2017 to 1.64% and 1.35% in 2019, respectively. The rate of blood donations trended downward, from 0.054% in 2005 to 0.046% in 2019. The proportion of unsuitable or unretained candidates reduced.

Conclusion:

The study emphasized the need to stimulate blood donation by specific groups and increase ways to reduce the demand for blood components through the implementation of programs that expand alternatives to blood transfusions.