A provenance model based on declarative specifications for intensive data analyses in hemotherapy information systems

• Published in: Future generation computer systems Vol. 59; pp. 105 - 113
• Main Authors: Almeida, Fernanda Nascimento, Tunes, Gisela, da Costa, Julio Cezar Brettas, Sabino, Ester Cerdeira, Mendrone-Júnior, Alfredo, Ferreira, João Eduardo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.06.2016
• Subjects: Anemia; Hemotherapy; Inclusion criteria; Provenance; Provenance; Hemotherapy; Inclusion criteria; Anemia
• ISSN: 0167-739X; 1872-7115
• DOI: 10.1016/j.future.2015.09.019

During the donation process, blood donors are screened for their hemoglobin or hematocrit level to protect them from developing anemia. Nevertheless, there is no standard procedure to predict anemia development after blood donation. The São Paulo Blood Center is responsible for maintaining a database with information on each donation. However, this database does not have good quality, and consequently, it is difficult to establish systematic analyses using the donation database without previously validating the data. To provide better quality donation data, this paper presents a provenance description based on classification criteria defined by specialists. More concretely, this paper answers the following main question: is there a connection between blood donation and a decrease in hematocrit levels?” This question was addressed to prevent undesirable outcomes to blood donors. In this paper, we show that it is possible to provide detailed investigations to answer this main question using the data description without the need to impose changes in the current database system structure sponsored by the São Paulo Blood Center. •We study the connection between blood donation and decrease in Hct level.•Our study is based on large unnormalized database produced by São Paulo Blood Center.•Specialist knowledge was crucial for provenance description and data analysis.•For repeated donors, young women are more likely to become LHct.•Donors with Hct levels close to lower boundary, should take care in next donations.