Expanding the Blood Donor Pool: An Update to Initiatives to Increase New Donor Participation

The US blood donor pool does not reflect the multicultural nature of the country. Diverse communities have not been effectively engaged to donate blood in a culturally competent manner. For patients with sickle cell disease, the majority of whom are Black, blood donors of African ancestry have a higher likelihood of being a match. Latinos have the highest prevalence of individuals with type O blood, which is in high demand. Engaging underrepresented populations to donate blood requires building trust, developing cultural understanding, and partnering with trusted organizations as an investment into the community.