Barriers to pre-emptive live donor kidney transplantation
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The influence of illness perceptions and illness knowledge on pre-emptive live donor kidney transplantation: a mixed methods study.
IRAS ID
223178
Contact name
Jenny Moses
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Cardiff University
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 9 months, 1 days
Research summary
Prevalence of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and End-Stage Kidney Disease (ESKD) are increasing, as is the necessity for Renal Replacement Therapy (RRT) such as kidney dialysis or transplantation. Living kidney transplantation can offer better outcomes over both dialysis and deceased organ transplantation (Kanellis, 2010), such as improved quality of life for patients and cost effectiveness for services (The National Kidney Foundation, 2007). However, living kidney donation rates are internationally low (Hanson et al, 2015).
Pre-emptive transplantation (before dialysis) has most effective outcomes (Abecassis et al, 2007) and The National Kidney Foundation (2007) advocate a “Transplant First” approach. Yet only 10.4% of UK patients receive pre-emptive kidney transplantation, indicating barriers which remain unclear.
Beliefs about illness and treatment have been found to be useful in understanding the decisions individuals make with regard to their treatment choices (Leventhal, 1983). There is minimal research exploring the illness and treatment perceptions of UK patients with Stage 3-5 CKD (pre-dialysis) towards RRT options.
The aim of this study is to increase understanding of the beliefs of people with Stage 3-5 CKD towards their diagnosis, kidney transplantation generally and live donation specifically. The results will enhance understanding of the potential psychological barriers to the acceptability of live donation and help inform strategies for nephrology and transplant services to address the psychological challenges, expectations and priorities that exist within a pre-dialysis population.
Participants will be recruited from a proportional sample of the CKD database belonging to Cardiff & Vale University Health Board, with CKD Stages 3-5 (pre-dialysis; over 6-months post diagnosis; aged 18-70). People who opt-in will be issued a questionnaire, the completion time of which is approximately 20-30 minutes. There will be an additional invitation to attend a 60-minute audio-recorded interview with the lead researcher (6-9 participants will be interviewed). All information will be collectively analysed and reported.
REC name
London - Fulham Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/LO/1033
Date of REC Opinion
23 Jun 2017
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion