Minority donation in the United States: challenges and needs.
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: In the United States, blood donation rates of African-Americans are 25-50% of that of white individuals. As African-Americans make up an ever increasing and now substantial minority, and African-American recipients of blood transfusion, both specialized, such as sickle cell disease patients, and general hospitalized patients, have a better chance of receiving phenotype-matched or appropriate red blood cell units when there is a significant percentage of products in the inventory from African-American donors, it is important to understand the reason for the observed difference. RECENT FINDINGS: Possible reasons for this discrepancy in donation rates include increased rates of donor deferral and ineligibility; increased barriers to donation, such as fear and distrust; and different marketing and education strategies. Thus, to increase the blood availability to African-American recipients, the reasons for these donation rate differences must be better understood and subsequently addressed through improved blood donor recruitment programs. The majority of African-American donor recruitment programs have focused on donating for sickle cell disease patients, particularly children, which have been of limited success. SUMMARY: Significant improvements in African-American donor recruitment are needed to adequately meet the demand of African-American patients as well as the entire population.
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- United States
- Middle Aged
- Immunology
- Humans
- Blood Transfusion
- Blood Donors
- Black or African American
- Adult
- 3201 Cardiovascular medicine and haematology
- 1103 Clinical Sciences
Citation
Published In
DOI
EISSN
Publication Date
Volume
Issue
Start / End Page
Location
Related Subject Headings
- United States
- Middle Aged
- Immunology
- Humans
- Blood Transfusion
- Blood Donors
- Black or African American
- Adult
- 3201 Cardiovascular medicine and haematology
- 1103 Clinical Sciences