Nearly half of Americans with kidney failure who are referred for a kidney transplant never begin the evaluation process required to be considered for a donor organ, according to a new nationwide study. Even more striking, fewer than one in five complete the evaluation and secure a place on the transplant waitlist.
Researchers say much attention has been given to patients after they reach the waitlist, but far less is known about what happens before that point and why so many people never make it there.
Major Barriers to Kidney Transplant Waitlisting
The study, led by researchers at NYU Langone Health, analyzed data from 720,348 patients referred for kidney transplantation. The findings revealed significant disparities in who advances through the process.
Patients who were unmarried, had severe obesity, or lived in rural communities were less likely to begin or complete a transplant evaluation and ultimately reach the waitlist. Older adults, Spanish speakers, and people with lower incomes faced even greater challenges. Patients receiving care at smaller transplant centers or programs located in the Southern United States were also less likely to move forward.
