Kidneys Donations Vary by Community Living donor kidney transplantations less common in African Americans

Daily Rx | Travins Hill


The United States has a long history of racial inequality, unfortunately. While progress towards equality has undoubtedly been made, some racial gaps still exist, particularly when it comes to health care.

Knowing where inequalities exist can help us fix them.

African Americans awaiting a new kidney are less likely to get one, compared to non-African Americans.

In fact, there is a racial gap at every transplant center that performs living donor kidney transplantation in the United States.

In a recent study, Erin C. Hall, MD, MPH, of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and fellow researchers looked at racial differences in living donor kidney transplantation at transplant centers throughout the country.

On average, African Americans get a new kidney from a living donor less often than their non-African American counterparts. Dr. Hall and colleagues wanted to better understand the role that transplant centers play in this racial gap.

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