why is paid blood donations at high risk of being infected?

Answer 1

Because people may give blood simply because they need the money, and if they need the money they might lie about the questions asked to make sure their blood is accepted.

If people are giving blood purely from generosity and a desire to be helpful, they are more likely to be honest if there is a reason that their blood should not be used, such as having injected drugs.

Answer 2

I am not sure where you got your question.

Blood donations (whole blood, like with the Red Cross) usually is not paid. This blood is considered safer than blood donated by volunteers for a specific person who needs a transfusion, because these people may lie about their risk profile in order to avoid being rejected and having to explain the rejection to others.

Plasma (the liquid plus protein part of the blood) is collected from paid volunteer donors. The donors are paid because the process takes longer than a whole blood donation.

ALL donors are carefully screened for risk, not only in their blood or plasma, but risk to themselves from donating such as heart disease or seizures, and plasma donors go through a physical exam and repeated checking for needle marks, etc. The blood and plasma is screened on each donation for presence of HIV, hepatitis B and C viruses, and also for indirect evidence of hepatitis.

Answer 3

Because people who need money badly enough often lie to get it. So when asked do you stick shared needles in your body their normal response, (if they want to get the cash), is no, no me sir, I'm clean. Some times their arms so far gone that you can spot the knackered veins and refuse donation, so now many just inject in their legs.
As for poor sex workers who may be indulging in unsafe sexual practises, If they tell less than the truth and show no visible symptoms they will be taken on trust.
We need blood and in some countries it is seen as a commodity rather than an act of altruism on the part of the giver. Where money can be made, savings increase profits so somewhere down the line corners will be cut!
UK has a high donation record but we are not giving enough and more and more is having to be bought from untrustworthy sources. So if you can, give!

Answer 4

Because paid blood donations attract "skid row" type "donors"

Answer 5

It loses nitric acid when removed from the body.