The Paradox of Organ Donation in the Latino Community

 When it comes to health, the Latino community is a paradox in itself. Our genetics seem to defend us tooth and nail from conditions that would devastate other demographics, but social and economic inequalities keep us lagging behind in access to health resources.

Likewise, beliefs and cultural frameworks often place us in dilemmas that are often a bone of contention at the dinner table. Organ donation, for example.

According to research from the University of Texas, Latinos have a disproportionate need for donor organs and are less likely to consent to donation than their non-Latino counterparts.

Citing figures from the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN), the researchers found that the waiting list for donor organs has exceeded 100,000 individuals in recent years.

This figure includes a disproportionate number of Latino candidates. Expressly, people of Latino origin represent 12.5 percent of the U.S. population, yet they account for 16.9 percent of the candidates on the U.S. waiting list.

If we consider projections suggesting that the Latino population is the fastest-growing group in the country, we can also assume that increased demand for donor organs among Latinos is imminent. The University of Texas researchers also highlight certain more prevalent diseases in […]

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