Why do minority populations especially need to donate blood?
There is a greater amount of blood types O and B in minority populations than in Caucasians. Because large amounts of blood are needed to treat Sickle Cell disease, which appears primarily in minority populations, there is a growing need for minority blood donors. Of the 5 percent of the population that donates blood, only 10 percent are African American or Hispanic. During transfusions the patient’s blood must match as closely as possible in both the type and specific antigens of the blood being transfused. Because we inherit certain antigens from our ancestors, someone of the same race and ethnicity is found to be a better match for them.
