Improving Indigenous Patient Access to Kidney Transplantation - IMPAKT
Factsheet
Aims
To identify Indigenous Australians' barriers to accessing renal transplantation and to propose strategies to reduce disparities in Indigenous Australians' access to renal transplantation.
Methods
The research program includes the following three component studies:
- a survey of Australian nephrologists' attitudes and practices;
- an in-depth qualitative study of Indigenous and non-Indigenous end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients' knowledge, attitudes, education and decision-making concerning transplantation;
- a review of the transplant 'work-up' requirements;
Status/Results
The survey of Australian nephrologists' attitudes and practices relating to transplantation (component 1) was undertaken in 2004.Several papers have been published in peer reviewed journals.
Data collection for the in-depth qualitative study (component 2) was completed in February 2006. Interviews were conducted with over 100 staff and over 250 patients from renal units in Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, New South Wales and the Northern Territory. Analysis of these interviews is ongoing. However, a number of papers have been published regarding this study.
The cohort study (component 3) and the review of the transplant 'work-up' requirements (component 4) are both commencing in July 2006. In combination, these components of IMPAKT will allow analysis of the degree to which disparities can be attributed to differences in patients' clinical characteristics.
Institute Investigators
- Alan Cass
- Kate Anderson
- Jeannie Devitt
Collaboration
- Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin
- Cooperative Research Centre for Aboriginal Health, Darwin
- Specialist renal units, satellite dialysis units and Aboriginal Medical Services in: Sydney; Dubbo; Brewarrina; Darwin; Alice Springs; Brisbane; Cairns; Townsville; Adelaide; Port Augusta; Perth; Kalgoorlie and Broome.