Minority organ donation: the power of an educated community.
BACKGROUND
In 1978 in Washington, DC, we became aware of the scarcity of minority donors, especially African Americans.


METHODS
From then until now, 4 decades later, we have been involved in a grass roots effort emphasizing community education and empowerment combined with the use of mass media, which has increased minority donation rates exponentially. This program was initiated with a $500 grant from Howard University and was subsequently funded by National Institutes of Health grants and other funding totaling more than $10 million between 1993 and 2008.


RESULTS
Between 1990 and 2008, minority donations percentages have doubled (15% to 30%). African-American organ donors per million (ODM) have quadrupled from 8 ODM to 53 ODM between 1982 and 2008.


CONCLUSIONS
The investment of $10 million may seem substantial when we look at the cost-to-benefit ratio associated with the cost savings of $135,000 per donor. But it is small when compared with the more than $200 million saved by kidney donors alone, which is associated with the expected increase in the percentage of minority donors to 35% by 2010, or the equivalent of 1,750 minority donors.
Callender
Clive O
CO
Howard University, National Minority Organ Tissue Transplant Education Program (MOTTEP), Washington, DC, USA.
Miles
Patrice V
PV
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002648:Child; D006266:Health Education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008913:Minority Groups / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015397:Program Evaluation; D014019:Tissue Donors / Q000193:education* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology