ORGAN DONATION IN WEST PHILADELPHIA
Community Close (H)UP is a system of solutions addressing the social hurdles to organ donation in West Philly. The original objective from the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP) was presented with two foundational understandings: 1) In West Philly, black communities have the lowest rates of donation. 2) The HUP team would focus first on the black Muslim population of West Philly in hopes of creating a ripple effect throughout the community.
As the research progressed, the need for education on both sides of this issue became evident: for the West Philadelphia community and all other stakeholders.
CLIENT: Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania | YEAR: 2018 | DURATION: 3 months | ROLE: User Research, Design, Visuals/Presentation | TEAM of 3
Despite making up more than half of the transplant waiting list, ethic minorities receive less than half of organ transplants in the U.S.
As race has no medical impact on transplant matches, we set out to learn the story behind these numbers.
We explored the West Philly community’s perceptions, experiences, and attitudes towards donation and HUP through a series of ethnographic interviews. Their unique stories painted a picture of the larger social context surrounding donation.
We also spoke with a variety of experts to develop a full understanding of the processes and policies around organ donation. Combined with our secondary research, it became clear that there is a large and complex network of stakeholders surrounding organ donation.