IMPAKT: Improving Indigenous patients' access to kidney transplantation. [ 2003 - 2005 ]

Research Grant

Researchers: Prof Alan Cass (Principal investigator) ,  Dr Jeannie Devitt ,  Dr Paul Snelling ,  Prof Joan Cunningham ,  Prof John Horvath
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Brief description Indigenous Australians develop end-stage renal disease (ESRD) at up to thirty times the rate for non-Indigenous Australians. Almost a half of Indigenous ESRD patients come from remote regions without ESRD treatment services. People with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) need dialysis or a transplant to stay alive. Most patients from remote communities need to relocate to regional centres to receive haemodialysis. This causes profound isolation, significant community disruption and worsens survival. Transplantation is the best treatment for most people with ESRD. Compared with long-term dialysis, it is associated with a better quality of life, a longer life expectancy, and lower costs to the health-care system. Indigenous Australians are over-represented in the ESRD population, but have a significantly lower chance of receiving a transplant than non-indigenous Australians. In this research, the IMPAKT study, we aim to identify Indigenous Australians' barriers to access to renal transplantation for treatment of their ESRD, and to propose strategies to reduce disparities in Indigenous Australians' access to renal transplantation. The nephrologists who regulate access to renal transplantation in Australia are members of the research team. This should facilitate the translation of research findings into improved access to renal transplantation for Indigenous patients.

Funding Amount $AUD 444,725.00

Funding Scheme NHMRC Project Grants

Notes Standard Project Grant