O positive is the most common blood type. Not all ethnic groups have the same mix of these blood types. Latino–American people, for example, have a relatively high number of O’s, while Asian people have a relatively high number of B’s. The mix of the different blood types in the U.S. population is:
Caucasian | African- American | Latino-American | Asian | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| O+ | 37% | 47% | 53% | 39% |
| O- | 8% | 4% | 4% | 1% |
| A+ | 33% | 24% | 29% | 27% |
| A- | 7% | 2% | 2% | .5% |
| B+ | 9% | 18x% | 9% | 25% |
| B- | 2% | 1% | 1% | .4% |
| AB+ | 3% | 4% | 2% | 7% |
| AB- | 1% | .3% | .2% | .1% |
Some patients require a closer blood match than that provided by the ABO positive/negative blood typing. For example, sometimes if the donor and recipient are from the same ethnic background the chance of a reaction can be reduced. That’s why an African–American blood donation may be the best hope for the needs of patients with sickle cell disease, many of whom are of African descent.
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