Office of Minority Health

Although American Indians and Alaska Natives account for 1% of patients on the organ transplant waiting list, they suffer from disproportionately high rates of diabetes and heart related diseases. Alcoholism is also prevalent among American Indians/Alaska Natives, and in turn they face higher rates of cirrhosis and other liver diseases. These conditions are known to put the patient at risk for organ failures.

• The number of organ transplants performed on American Indians/Alaska Natives in 2015 was 20 percent of the number of American Indians/Alaska Natives currently waiting for a transplant. The number of transplants performed on white Americans was 31% of the number currently waiting.
• While about 1% of the total candidates currently waiting for transplants are American Indian/Alaska Native, they comprised 0.5% of organ donors in 2015.
• 30 percent of the organs recovered from American Indian/Alaska Natives came from living donors.
• American Indian/Alaska Natives are more likely to develop a case of hepatitis C, as compared to the White population, a cause of liver failure.

Source:  HRSA U.S. Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN). Based on OPTN data as of July 12, 2016.
https://optn.transplant.hrsa.gov/data/view-data-reports/national-data/*

Source:  HRSA U.S. Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN). Based on OPTN data as of July 12, 2016.
https://optn.transplant.hrsa.gov/data/view-data-reports/national-data/

Source:  HRSA U.S. Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN). Based on OPTN data as of July 12, 2016.
https://optn.transplant.hrsa.gov/data/view-data-reports/national-data/

* OPTN data is updated monthly. The OMHRC data & statistics for this section will be updated biannually. For the most recent OPTN data, click here