Undoubtedly, blood donation helps save multiple lives. Blood donations have aided countless people throughout the world in times of emergency.

The rationale for donating blood is straightforward: it helps save lives. In fact, someone needs blood every two seconds. Because blood cannot be produced outside of the body and has a finite shelf life, it must be replaced on a regular basis by charitable blood donors. Blood is the most precious gift that anyone can give to another person – the gift of life. Donating blood can save a life, or perhaps many lives if the blood is split into its constituents – red cells, platelets, and plasma – and utilized separately for patients with specific diseases.

 Despite the fact that 39% of the general population is eligible to donate blood, only 6% usually do.

 

 

Blood Transfusion and Importance of Black Blood Donors

 

Black blood donors play a critical role in helping people with sickle cell disease, the most common hereditary blood disease in the U.S.  Sickle cell is a painful and debilitating condition that is particularly prevalent in people with an African or Caribbean background.

To get the best treatment, patients need blood that is closely matched to their own. These patients may need regular blood transfusions for the rest of their lives to avoid the complications of sickle cell disease such as organ and tissue damage, extreme pain, and strokes.

Rare blood types are more common in some racial groupings than others. U-negative and Duffy-negative blood types, according to the Red Cross, are rare.

The growing need for some uncommon subtypes which are more frequent among persons of Black descent urges the need for more black blood donors.  Black patients with sickle cell disease who have these blood types can only receive blood from matching donors. As a result, finding compatible blood from a non-Black donor for a Black patient might be challenging.

Black Americans are more prone to sickle cell disease than others. Despite a dramatic drop in blood donations across the board, sickle cell disease patients continue to have a consistent demand for blood.

 

 

 

Why Black Blood Donors are so crucial:

 

Black patients have unique antigens on their red blood cells not commonly found in other groups of the population, making it more challenging to find compatible blood for those in need of a transfusion. Antigens are specific markers (proteins) present on the surface of red blood cells that determine one's blood type. There are more than 600 known antigens besides A and B.

Certain African American and Hispanic/Latino patients, including those who have rare blood types or medical conditions necessitating multiple blood transfusions, like sickle cell disease, require very closely matched blood products.

There are currently insufficient blood donors to satisfy this critical demand. Although African Americans make up 13% of the population in the United States, they account for fewer than 3% of blood donors. Donating blood may help persons with sickle cell disease, as well as women who are having difficult pregnancies, cancer patients, and accident or trauma victims who are rushed to emergency departments, being treated for an inherited blood disorder, and many more. Your one blood donation might save more than one person's life!

Blood donors from the African-American community have the ability to save the lives of other African-Americans who require a blood transfusion. This is due to the fact that donors with genetically identical blood are more likely to match patients of the same ethnic origin.

Researchers discovered that African-Americans are under-represented among blood donors and that minority donors are less likely to become frequent donors in general.

 

 

 

Negative Impact of COVID-19 on Blood Donations

 

COVID-19 is negatively impacting the number of available Black blood donors. About 50-60% drop in blood donation has been seen in this unprecedented time of COVID-19 crisis. There is a greater need of the hour for black donors to take part in the campaign to increase blood donations.

 

 

Myths related to Blood Donations

 

• Donating blood is extremely safe, and regular donors may receive long-term health advantages.

• There is no possibility of contracting HIV.

• You will not gain weight by sharing your blood.

• Although it is vital to stay hydrated before and after giving blood

• It improves your health by lowering the amount of extra iron in your body and encouraging your body to make blood.

• Although strenuous activity should be avoided, donating blood has no effect on sexual desire.

• When it comes to donating, there is no upper age restriction.

• You are not necessarily ineligible to donate if you are taking medicines.

 

You can easily donate at least 3 times a year.

 

 

 

References

1. Why Are African American Blood Donations Important. The American National Red Cross. [Online] https://www.redcrossblood.org/donate-blood/blood-types/diversity/african-american-blood-donors.html.

2. Why we need Black donors. NHS Blood and Transplant. [Online] https://www.blood.co.uk/why-give-blood/demand-for-different-blood-types/why-more-black-blood-donors-are-needed/.

3. Why Black, Asian, and minority ethnic donors are needed. NHS Blood and Transplant. [Online] https://www.nhsbt.nhs.uk/how-you-can-help/get-involved/key-messages-and-information/why-black-asian-and-minority-ethnic-donors-are-needed/.

4. Need for African American and Latino/Hispanic Blood Donors. New York Blood Center (NYBC). [Online] https://nybloodcenter.org/donate-blood/become-donor/need-african-american-and-latinohispanic-blood-donors/.

5. African-American Donors. OneBlood Share Your Power. [Online] https://www.oneblood.org/about-donating/target-your-type/power-of-heritage.stml#.

6. Cyra-Lea Drummond, BSN, RN. Red Cross Seeking Black Blood Donors for Critical Shortages. Very Well Health. [Online] September 10, 2020. https://www.verywellhealth.com/importance-of-black-blood-donors-5076266.

 

 

 

 

---

Find articles related to: Medicine Telehealth Health Blood Transfusion Importance of Black Donors


More articles about General Health Tips & News

Back to the Health Tips Index