Black, African & Afro-Caribbean Kidney Guide

Black, African, and Afro-Caribbean Canadian patients with end-stage kidney disease are less than half as likely to receive a living donor kidney transplantation compared to Caucasian patients. Although there is currently limited research exploring barriers to transplantation in the Canadian context, research findings in the US indicate that factors including lack of awareness of topics such as the benefits of kidney transplantation and transplant-related knowledge, social determinants, reduced access to care, and mistrust of the healthcare system may prevent Black, African, and Afro-Caribbean Canadians from benefiting from living donor kidney transplantation.

The Black, African, and Afro-Caribbean Kidney Guide Project

The Black, African, and Afro-Caribbean Kidney Guide project aims to address ethnocultural barriers to kidney transplantation among the diverse group of Black, African, and Afro-Caribbean patients in Canada with end-stage kidney disease. The project will explore social, cultural, and religious attitudes and beliefs about living donor kidney transplantation by conducting surveys, focus groups, and interviews with Black, African, and Afro-Caribbean Canadian patients, friends & family, and general members of these diverse communities, in a culturally appropriate way. Through this research we will be able to identify the specific needs and current gaps in information that are important to Black, African, and Afro-Caribbean patients when considering treatment options. With this information, we will develop a culturally appropriate and religiously sensitive kidney health education guide to better inform patients, families and the community about chronic kidney disease and deceased and living donor kidney transplantation. Finally, we will test this guide in the Black, African, and Afro-Caribbean communities by assessing’ transplant related knowledge, attitudes, and readiness of patients to pursue transplantation before and after using the guide.

This study will be the first to assess and address ethnocultural barriers to living donor kidney transplantation among Black, African, and Afro-Caribbean Canadian patients with end-stage kidney disease and is an important step towards relevant, appropriate, and culturally competent health education in Ontario.

Partner Organizations