Non-medical factors influencing access to renal transplantation.
Considering the scarcity of available donor kidneys and the increasing number of patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) who would potentially benefit from renal transplantation, objective and equitable patient selection and equitable access to renal transplantation bear substantial importance. Inequalities in access to renal transplantation have been extensively documented over the last 2 decades with regard to age, gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic and psycho-social factors. In this paper we review a wide spectrum of social, patient and system-related factors along the transplantation process that may be associated with disparities, and we aim to describe the complex interrelationship between these factors that might influence treatment decisions by patients and health-care professionals. Understanding potentially modifiable barriers to kidney transplantation may allow designing targeted interventions in order to guarantee fair recipient selection and equal access to renal transplantation.
Institute of Behavioral Sciences, Semmelweis University, Nagyvarad ter 4, Budapest, Hungary. istvan@nefros.net
Eszter Panna
EP
Vamos
Marta
M
Novak
Istvan
I
Mucsi
D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D014850:Waiting Lists