Patients' perceptions of a culturally targeted Hispanic Kidney Transplant Program: A mixed methods study

Area of Science:

• Nephrology
• Transplant Surgery
• Health Disparities

Background:

• Hispanics experience lower rates of living donor kidney transplants (LDKTs) compared to non-Hispanic whites.
• Culturally targeted interventions are crucial for addressing health disparities in kidney transplantation.
• Northwestern Medicine's Hispanic Kidney Transplant Program (HKTP) aims to improve LDKT access for Hispanic patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess Hispanic kidney transplant recipients', donors', and family members' perceptions of the HKTP's cultural components.
• To evaluate the program's impact on knowledge, attitudes, and favorability towards kidney transplantation and living donation.
• To identify areas for improvement in program outreach and delivery.

Main Methods:

• Multisite study employing semi-structured interviews and validated surveys.
• Qualitative thematic analysis and descriptive statistics were used to analyze data.
• 36 participants (21 recipients, 15 donors/family) were included, with 62% participation rate.

Main Results:

• Participants reported high confidence in educational content delivered by transplant physicians.
• The program effectively addressed cultural myths surrounding transplantation, with Spanish language use enhancing understanding.
• Post-program, 97% favored kidney transplantation and 97% favored living donation, despite initial low awareness of living donation.

Conclusions:

• The HKTP's culturally tailored components are perceived favorably by Hispanic patients and their families.
• The program positively influences perceptions of kidney transplantation and living donation, potentially reducing transplant disparities.
• Enhanced community outreach, particularly through community leaders, is recommended to increase program awareness.