Influence
July 10, 2024

Bridging Racial Disparities in Access to Kidney Transplantation in the United States: Glass Part-Empty or Part-Full?

Rachel Patzer standing in front of the Regenstrief Institute building.

Published in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. Here is a link to the article.

Regenstrief Institute authors: Rachel Patzer, PhD, MPH

Racial disparities in kidney transplant access—especially for Black patients—have been well documented for decades. Recent policy reforms and multilevel interventions, such as regional coalitions and changes to the kidney allocation system, have helped reduce these gaps, particularly in deceased donor transplant rates. However, significant inequities remain, especially in waitlisting and living donor transplantation, with disproportionate impacts on Black patients, Native Americans, Pacific Islanders, and younger individuals. Emerging federal efforts aim to standardize practices and enhance data collection, but challenges such as inadequate capture of structural racism and social risk factors persist. Achieving true equity requires systemic change that addresses upstream social determinants and racism across all levels of care and policy.

Authors

Rachel Patzer1

Author Affiliations

1Regenstrief Institute, Indianapolis, Indiana, and Department of Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana.

Partners

Related News

illustration of the combination of interventions used in the D3 pragmatic clinical trial

Zero-cost, AI-driven digital detection identifies Alzheimer’s and related dementias without additional clinician time

Few primary care practices are designed for the timely detection of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. The limited time

Arthur H. Owora, PhD

Predictive correlates of poor sleep associated with increased risk of severe asthma exacerbations among children with moderate-to-severe asthma

Published in Pediatric Allergy and Immunology. Here is a link to the article. Regenstrief Institute author: Arthur H. Owora,

Atlanta City Skyline

Regenstrief Institute experts will lead presentations, participate in panels at the AMIA 2025

Regenstrief Institute informaticians and other data experts will share their research insights and innovations from November 15-19 during the