Kristie J. Lipford|Laura McPherson|Reem E. Hamoda|Teri Browne|Jennifer Gander|Stephen O. Pastan|Rachel E. Patzer
Dialysis facility staff perceptions of racial, gender, and age disparities in access to renal transplantation
Emory University|Emory University|Emory University|University of South Carolina|Emory University|Emory University|Emory University
racialethnic gender age disparities access renal transplantation among endstage renal disease esrd patients well documented studies explored health care staff attitudes towards inequalities staff perceptions influence patient care outcomes identifying staff perceptions disparities could aid development potential interventions address health inequities objective study investigate dialysis staff n 509 primarily social workers nurse managers perceptions renal transplant disparities southeastern united statesthis mixed methods study uses deductive inductive qualitative analysis dialysis staff survey conducted 2012 using three openended questions asked staff discuss perceptions factors may contribute transplant disparities among african american female elderly patientsstudy results suggested majority staff n 255 28 perceived patients low socioeconomic status primary theme related renal transplant disparities exist african americans nonhispanic whites staff cited patient perception old age primary contributor n 188 23 disparity young elderly patients dialysis staff responses gender transplant disparities suggested staff unaware differences due limited experience observation n 76 147 gender disparitiesthese findings suggest dialysis facilities educate staff existing renal transplantation disparities particularly gender disparities collaboratively work transplant facilities develop strategies actively address modifiable patient barriers transplant