Disparities in kidney transplantation across the United States: Does residential segregation play a role?

BackgroundAlthough residential segregation has been implicated in various negative health outcomes, its association with kidney transplantation has not been examined.MethodsAge- and sex-standardized kidney transplantation rates were calculated from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients, 2000-2013. Population characteristics including segregation indices were derived from the 2010 U.S. Census data and the U.S. Renal Data System. Separate multivariable Poisson regression models were constructed to identify factors independently associated with kidney transplantation among Blacks and Whites.ResultsMedian age- and sex-standardized kidney transplantation rates were 114 per 100,000 for Blacks and 38 per 100,000 for Whites. 16.1% of the U.S. population lived in counties with high segregation. There was no difference in the kidney transplantation rates across the levels of segregation among Blacks and Whites.ConclusionFactors other than residential segregation may play roles in kidney transplantation disparities. Continued efforts to identify these factors may be beneficial in reducing transplantation disparities across the U.S.SummaryUsing the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients and U.S. census data, we aimed to determine whether residential segregation was associated with kidney transplantation rates. We found that there was no association between residential segregation and kidney transplantation rates.