title: Racial disparities in organ donation and why.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  High prevalence of comorbidities such as diabetes, hypertension, obesity, hepatitis B and C, in minority groups, results in racial minorities being disproportionally represented on transplant waiting lists. Organ transplantation positively impacts patient survival but greater access is limited by a severe donor shortage.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Unfortunately, minority groups also suffer from disparities in deceased and living donation. African-Americans comprise 12.9% of the population and 34% of the kidney transplant waiting list but only 13.8% of deceased donors. Barriers to minority deceased donation include: decreased awareness of transplantation, religious or cultural distrust of the medical community, fear of medical abandonment and fear of racism. Furthermore, African-Americans comprise only 11.8% of living donors. Barriers to minority living donation include: unwillingness to donate, medical comorbid conditions, trust or fear of medical community, loss to follow-up, poor coping mechanisms, financial concerns, reluctance to ask family members and friends, fear of surgery, and lack of awareness about living donor kidney transplantation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Transplant center-based education classes significantly and positively impact African-American concerns and beliefs surrounding living donation. Community and national strategies utilizing culturally sensitive communication and interventions can ameliorate disparities and improve access to transplantation.
authors.affiliation: Division of Transplant Surgery, Department of Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, Clinical Science Building Suite 409, 96 Jonathan Lucas Street, Charleston, South Carolina 29425, USA.
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bratton
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chavin
authors.forename: Prabhakar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Baliga
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology; D001364:Awareness; D015897:Comorbidity; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D005239:Fear; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008913:Minority Groups / Q000523:psychology*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D044469:Racial Groups / Q000523:psychology*; D012068:Religion and Medicine; D014019:Tissue Donors / Q000523:psychology* / Q000600:supply & distribution; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement; D035502:Trust