Organ Transplants and Hispanic Americans

Hispanics have high rates of diabetes and heart disease. These conditions are known to put patients at risk for organ failures. Language barriers also negatively affect patient access to health care as well as adequate health information.

In 2023, about 36% percent of Hispanics/Latinos currently on the U.S. organ transplant waiting list received a transplant compared to 58% of non-Hispanic whites.¹
While 23% of the total candidates currently waiting for transplants are Hispanic, they comprised 15% of organ donors in 2023.¹

Organ Transplants

U.S. Transplant Waiting List – Candidates by Race/Ethnicity
Organ	All Candidates	# of Hispanic Candidates	Hispanic % of All Candidates	# of Non-Hispanic White Candidates	Non-Hispanic White % of All Candidates
All Organs	103,993	23,719	22.8	40,439	38.8
Kidney	89,750	20,933	23.3	31,896	35.5
Liver	9,458	2,096	22.1	5,979	63.2
Heart	3,430	471	13.7	1,816	52.9
Lung	897	123	13.7	578	64.4

Source: Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). U.S. Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN). Based on OPTN data as of August 22, 2024.

Transplants in the United States by Recipient Ethnicity, 2023
	Number	Percentage of Total 2023 Transplants
Hispanic	8,539	18.3
Non-Hispanic White	23,470	50.3
All Ethnicities	46,629	100

Source: HRSA. OPTN. Based on OPTN data as of August 22, 2024.

Organ Donation

U.S. Organ Donors Recovered, 2023
Donor Type	# of All Donors	# of Hispanic Donors	Hispanic % of All Donors	# of Non-Hispanic White Donors	Non-Hispanic White % of All Donors
Living	6,959	1,198	17.2	4,832	69.4
Deceased	16,336	2,349	14.4	10,703	65.5
Total	23,295	3,547	15.2	15,535	66.7

Source: HRSA. OPTN. Based on OPTN data as of August 22, 2024.

U.S. Organ Donors Recovered, Living vs Deceased, 2023
Donor Type	# of Hispanic Donors	% of All Hispanic Donors	# of Non-Hispanic White Donors	% of All Non-Hispanic White Donors
Living	1,198	33.8	4,832	31.1
Deceased	2,349	66.2	10,703	68.9
Total	3,547	100.0	15,535	100.0

Source: HRSA. OPTN. Based on OPTN data as of August 22, 2024.

¹ HRSA. OPTN. Based on OPTN data as of August 22, 2024. (back)

Last Edited: 10/29/2024