text: Here is a site that discusses the Myths and Facts surrounding giving blood.\n\nhttp://www.lebanonredcross.org/Give_Blood_Facts.htm\n\nPeople should not donate blood if their lifestyles put them at risk for HIV, hepatitis B, malaria or other infections that can be transmitted through blood. \n\nBeing a Homosexual CAN put you in this risk category if the partners involved are NOT monogomous.  The Red Cross defers acceptance of blood from donors in this risk group.. even those in monogomous relationships.  IV drug users, being a or using prostitutes for sexual intercourse are other donor-risk behaviors.\n\nOther factors that would bar you from giving blood include: \n\n** You have had a recent tattoo.  \n\n **You or someone in your family has or had Creuzfeldt-Jakob disease. \n\n** You had an injection of beef insulin made from cattle in the United Kingdom.  \n\n **You recently had malaria.  \n\n **You have lived in the United Kingdom for more than three months or in Europe for more than six months anytime after 1980.  \n\n **You have been treated for syphilis or gonorrhea in the last year.\n\nAbout Blood Donation:\n\nBlood Facts:  http://www.miblood.org/about_blood/facts.html\n\nThe average adult has about 10 pints of blood in his or her body. \n\nThe Need For Blood \n\n4.5 million Americans would die each year without life saving blood transfusions. \nOn average, about 38,000 pints of blood are used each day in the United States. \nEvery three seconds someone needs blood. \nOn average, one out of every 5 hospital patients will need blood. \nAbout three gallons of blood supports the entire nation's blood needs for one minute. \nBlood centers often run short of type O and B blood. \nThe average red blood cell transfusion is 3.4 pints. \n\nHow Blood Helps\n\nOne unit of blood can be separated into several components (red blood cells, white blood cells, plasma, platelets and cryoprecipitate). \nJust one pint of donated blood can help 3-4 people.