Hispanic Donation Facts

Done Vida!

Over 17,500 Hispanics are currently waiting for a life-saving transplant in the United States. For information in Spanish, visit http://www.donevida.org/index_sp.php.

Why is it important for minorities to become donors?

·        Ethnic minorities are facing a public health crisis and are in desperate need of more organ and tissue donors. 

·        There are more than 50,000 minority individuals [This number includes, African Americans, Asians, Hispanics, Native Americans, Pacific Islanders and people of multiracial decent] registered on the U.S. transplant waiting list.

·        Minorities comprise 53% of individuals on the national organ transplant waiting list and they represent 26% of living and deceased organ donors.  Minorities make up 20% of the U.S. population.

·        Many of the conditions leading to the need for a transplant - such as diabetes and hypertension- occur with greater frequency among minority populations.

·        Tragically, every 11 minutes another patient is added to the waiting list and 19 people die each day due to lack of organ donors.

Is there a need for any particular organ among minorities?

·        Yes.  Kidneys are at the top of the list.  While 20% of the US population is of minority ethnicity, approximately 61% [This percentage includes, African Americans, Asians, Hispanics, Native Americans, Pacific Islanders and people of multiracial decent] of those waiting for kidney transplants are minorities. 

·        Currently, nearly 50,000 minority individuals are waiting for kidney transplants.  For these patients, the lack of available organs means longer waiting periods on transplant lists, more time spent on dialysis, and sometimes death.

Why is the need for kidneys so high among minorities?

·        Minorities are disproportionately affected by illnesses that can lead to end-stage renal disease and the need for dialysis or a kidney transplant.  These diseases include high blood pressure and diabetes. 

Ten Facts About Diabetes and Kidney Disease in Hispanic Americans:

Hispanic Americans have a high rate of diabetes, the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S. and the single leading cause of kidney failure in adults. This increases their chance of developing complications such as chronic kidney disease, heart disease and strokes. However, when individuals with diabetes follow their treatment plan carefully and keep their blood sugar and blood pressure under control, they can greatly reduce their risk of having these complications.

1.     Of 30 million Hispanic Americans, about 2 million (about seven percent) have been diagnosed with diabetes. About one-third of total diabetes cases among Hispanic Americans are undiagnosed.

2.     On average, Hispanic Americans are nearly two times more likely to have diabetes than non-Hispanic whites of similar age.

3.     Diabetes is even more common among middle-aged and older Hispanic Americans. About 25 to 30 percent of those 50 or older have diabetes.

4.     Diabetes is twice as common among Mexican American and Puerto Rican adults as in non-Hispanic whites.

5.     About 90 to 95 percent of Hispanic Americans with diabetes have type 2 diabetes. This type of diabetes usually develops in adults over 45, but is becoming more common in younger people. It occurs because the body is unable to use insulin properly. It is treated with diet, exercise, diabetes pills and, sometimes, injected insulin.

6.     About 5 percent of Hispanic Americans with diabetes have type 1 diabetes, which usually develops before age 20 and is always treated with insulin injections.

7.     Diabetes can be diagnosed by:

•     a fasting blood glucose test of 126 or greater

•     a nonfasting blood glucose test of 200 or greater in people who have symptoms of diabetes

•     an abnormal oral glucose tolerance test with two-hour glucose of 200 or greater

A positive test should be confirmed on another day, using any of these tests.