Report Cites Obesity, Incomplete Evaluations as Reasons Why Blacks Less Likely Than Whites To Be Qualified as Living Kidney Donors
"Impact of Ethnicity on Living Kidney Donation," Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center: Blacks are less likely than whites to be considered for kidney donations because of obesity and failure to complete the donor evaluation, according to a report released on Monday at the 2007 American Transplant Congress in San Francisco. For the report, researcher Amber Reeves-Daniel, an instructor of internal medicine-nephrology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, and colleagues examined 541 donor questionnaires and charts of individuals who were disqualified to be living kidney donors. The information documented the race, gender and reason for denial. About 30% of blacks were excluded because of obesity, compared with 16.6% of whites, and 12% of blacks were excluded because they did not complete the evaluation process, compared with 1.8% of whites. Less than 2% of blacks were denied because of kidney stones, compared with 7.3% of whites. "Further study of these differences may improve our understanding of the causes of low rates of living kidney donation among African-Americans, particularly regarding the social reasons," Reeves-Daniel said, adding, "Is it lack of trust in the medical community, financial inability to get to doctor's appointments for tests, concerns with work and child care, or perhaps some other issue?" (Newswise release, 5/3).
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