DONATION IN THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY

The Black community is in desperate need for African American organ and tissue donors.

Why is it important for African Americans to become donors?

  • While African Americans represent 12% of the U.S. population, they represent 27% of individuals on the National Organ Transplant Waiting List and 35% of those awaiting a kidney transplant.
  • Over the past decade, there has been a 166% increase in the number of African Americans waiting for organ transplants.

What prevents some African Americans from becoming organ donors?

To help answer this question, research was conducted in five cities across the country; these cities were Atlanta, Birmingham, Detroit, Los Angeles and New York. The following was found:

  • African Americans do not have organ and tissue donation on their “radar” screen—it’s simply not top of mind.
  • They are not aware of the large number of African Americans who are waiting for transplants.
  • There is a perception that Blacks do not have the same access to organ transplants as whites. In fact, the federal government’s Medicare program pays for kidney transplants, and organs are allocated based solely on medical criteria, not race.
  • Some are afraid that they will not receive the best medical treatment in a life-threatening emergency if their wishes to donate are known. In fact, the process of determining whether a patient is a candidate to donate does not begin until the patient is determined to be beyond the help of further life-saving measures.

Do Black churches support organ and tissue donation?

  • Most religions support organ and tissue donation and see it as a final act of love and generosity towards others.

Is there a need for any particular organ among African Americans?

  • Yes. Kidneys are at the top of the list. While 12% of the US population is African American, 35% of those waiting for a kidney transplant are Black.
  • Currently, more than 21,000 African Americans are waiting for kidney transplants. For these patients, the lack of available organs means longer waiting periods on transplant lists, years spent on dialysis, and sometimes death.

Why is the need for kidneys so high among Blacks?

  • African Americans are disproportionately affected by illnesses, such as high blood pressure and diabetes, that can lead to end-stage renal disease and the need for dialysis or a kidney transplant.

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