Studies show that Blacks with end-stage kidney disease (ESRD) are the least likely to get put on the waitlist than any other racial group. Statistically, only 17.8% of Blacks with ESRD are put on the national transplant waiting list during the first year of kidney failure. On the other hand, 30.5% of whites with ESRD are waitlisted in the initial 12 months of kidney failure. Why is this?
Wanted: More African American Kidney Donors
Why Blacks Wait longer
There are many reasons identified by various research studies that represent why Blacks must wait longer for a kidney transplant, these include:
- Commonly, kidney transplant recipients receive organ transplants from a relative donor. According to an L.A. Times report, a New York study involved healthcare providers who approached 600 family members of people in need of transplants in the 1980s; 69% of the Whites and only 45% of the Blacks agreed to donate kidneys to their family members.
- The U.S. kidney allocation matching system uses genetics to match recipients with donors; 90% of organ donors are Caucasian-Americans. According to the Cleveland Clinic, Caucasian-American recipients are a better match when using this system.
- Specific formulas are used by doctors and labs to determine GFR (glomerular filtration rate); these formulas measure the effectiveness of a person’s kidneys. Low kidney filtration rates indicate impaired kidney function. The calculation formula factors in a person’s sex and age into the final lab result. However, with a Black patient, the person’s race also weighs in. A “race adjustment” factor is applied to the estimated GFR number so that Black patients with long-term kidney disease end up with higher values. Higher filtration rates mean better kidney function, and critics say that correcting for race could interfere with critical referrals to specialists, resulting in poorer outcomes.
RELATED: 9 Ways To Take Better Care of Your Kidneys
Staying on Dialysis vs Getting a Kidney Transplant
Getting a kidney transplant involves weighing the pros and cons. Any type of surgery—including a kidney transplant—comes with risks and drawbacks, such as:
- Infection
- Organ rejection
- The need for a new organ transplant every 9 years
- The cost of medications that prevent organ rejection is very high and insurance doesn’t always cover it. Medicare only covers these expenses for one year after surgery.
- Medications often cause serious side effects such as a compromised immune system
Studies reveal the benefits of having a kidney transplant instead of staying on dialysis may include:
- Living longer
- Having a better quality of life (returning to work, freedom to travel, fewer dietary restrictions)
A Word from Black Doctor
Early detection of kidney disease and an understanding of its risk factors are key to preventing chronic kidney disease. Everyone should undergo regular testing, but people at risk—such as those with high blood pressure or diabetes—should undergo testing more often. Regular medical screening should be done to detect and treat hypertension and diabetes before these conditions can do long-term damage, interfering with a person’s normal kidney function.