Publications by authors named "D L Confer"

Young adults from underserved racial/ethnic groups are critically needed as unrelated hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) donors, yet they are more likely than other groups to opt out of donation after having matched a patient. Understanding which factors are most strongly associated with opting out among young underserved racial/ ethnic registered donors compared with their White counterparts will provide the basis for specific interventions to improve donor retention. We sought to determine the key, modifiable psychosocial, registry-related, and donation-related characteristics that are uniquely associated with opting out across 5 key racial/ethnic groups of young HSC donor registry members who had been contacted as a potential match for a patient.

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  • * A clinical trial involving 80 patients treated with either myeloablative or reduced-intensity conditioning demonstrated a 3-year overall survival rate of 70% for the reduced-intensity group and 62% for the myeloablative group, with no reported GVHD after one year.
  • * The findings highlight the potential benefits of PTCy in mismatched unrelated donor HCT, though further research is needed to address issues like relapse rates and optimal donor
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  • Young adults in HSC donor registries, like Be The Match, frequently choose to opt out when contacted for donation, limiting the availability of stem cells for transplantation.
  • This study aims to compare characteristics of young donors (ages 18-30) who complete the donation process versus those who opt out, examining aspects like demographics, psychosocial factors, and knowledge about donation.
  • Findings reveal that those who proceed with donation tend to have better knowledge about the process, while those who opt out often express mistrust, religious objections, and concerns regarding the donation.
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There is a lack of evidence about how health-related quality of life (HRQoL), including psychosocial factors, might affect donation-related experiences and clinical markers in the context of hematopoietic stem cell donation. The broader literature suggests that psychological factors, including anxiety and depression, are associated with higher levels of inflammatory burden leading to poorer postprocedural outcomes including longer hospital stays and increased pain perception. In this study, we aimed to evaluate whether predonation HRQoL markers predict toxicity profile and stem cell yield after peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) donation in healthy donors.

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  • Attrition of young adult members from HSC donation registries, like Be The Match, poses challenges, particularly affecting racial/ethnic minority groups in the US, who are more likely to drop out when asked to donate.
  • This study aimed to explore demographic and psychosocial factors influencing young, newly registered potential donors, focusing on differences among racial/ethnic groups.
  • Results showed that white individuals typically joined online, while black and Hispanic individuals often joined at college; ambivalence about donating was notably higher among Asian/Pacific Islanders compared to others.
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