Table 2 Identified themes in Dialysis Staff Responses Regarding Racial Disparities (Total Responses = 905)
Themes and Contributing Factors | N (%) | Selected Quotes |
|---|---|---|
Financial Factors | ||
 Low Socioeconomic Status | 255 (28.1) | Transplant centers want them to stock pile money for meds post-transplant. How? Donations? Working?? Not enough incentive |
 Transportation Challenges | 117 (16.2) | Inability to complete tests due to lack of transportation |
Clinical Factors | ||
 Comorbidities | 31 (3.4) | Depression due to disease |
Patient Factors | ||
 Lack of Patient Education | 80 (8.8) | Inadequate education about transplant, evaluation, waiting list process |
 Lack of Social Support | 65 (7.1) | No suitable partner to help with after care |
 Lack of Patient Adherence/Follow Up | 60 (6.6) | Most patients do not follow through with all that is required to complete transplant process |
 Patient Fears | 58 (6.4) | Possibility of transplant failure and returning to facility discourages patients from considering the option |
 Complexity of Transplant Process | 24 (2.6) | Patients state ‘there is just too much to do, I didn’t know I was gonna have to do all that’ |
 Lack of Motivation/Interest | 19 (2.1) | Loss of hope appears to turn into loss of interest… |
 Lack of Living Donors | 7 (0.77) | Living donors being uneducated |
 Content with Existing Care | 7 (0.77) | Outpatient center is a form of socialization |
 Refusal to Accept Illness | 3 (0.33) | Denial |
Cultural Factors | ||
 Patient Beliefs | 34 (3.7) | Beliefs regarding transplantation - mainly donation of organs – both living and cadaver |
 High Medical Mistrust | 3 (0.33) | African Americans have an historical reticence to seeking out medical health or advice |
Staff and Provider Factors | ||
 Reasons for Disparity Unknown | 60 (6.6) | I do not have experience in this area; None; Unsure |
 Staff Disagreed with Disparities | 44 (4.8) | There is no disparity in this clinic. Race is not a factor when considering transplant for a patient |
 Provider Practices | 13 (1.4) | Preconceived stereotyping by staff |
 Staff Was Unaware of Disparities | 7 (0.77) | Unaware of disparity, all patients are referred if the patient is interested in transplantation |
Other Factors | ||
 Other Reasons | 4 (0.44) | Entitlement attitude??? |