# Sex Disparities in Access to Kidney Transplant

> **NIH NIH F32** · STANFORD UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $75,858

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Kidney transplant is regarded as the best treatment modality for end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Despite the
known benefits of kidney transplantation over dialysis, inequities in access to transplantation are present by
sex. In both adults and children, female sex is associated with a lower likelihood of receiving a kidney
transplant compared to male sex. The reasons for these disparities in access to transplant among women
versus men are unclear. Because of the unique characteristics of populations with different underlying cause of
ESRD, it is possible that sex-based disparities in access to transplant differ among the different underlying
attributed causes of ESRD. Characteristics specific to different causes of ESRD (such as the propensity for a
disease to progress more rapidly in one sex and therefore preclude completion of the transplant evaluation
process prior to dialysis) may lead to differences in the magnitude of the inequities in access to transplant
among men versus women. In addition, prior literature has also shown that women are less likely to receive a
living donor transplant (especially from spouses), even though women are more likely to donate a kidney. The
decision not to donate a kidney despite eligibility for donation may be associated with a potential donors’
subjective perceptions regarding their own health and donor candidacy. We hypothesize that these health
perceptions may differ among male versus female donors, contribute to lower donation rates by men, which in
turn, lead to a smaller pool of potential donors that lowers access to kidney transplantation among women. The
Kidney Failure Risk Projection (KFRP) equation has recently been established to provide objective estimates
of the 15-year risk for the development of ESRD among potential donors. In this study, we will determine
whether there are differences in male versus female donors’ perception of self-health, and we will compare
these self-perceptions with the objective measure of the risk of ESRD using the KFRP equation. The objectives
of this proposal are to 1) determine whether differences in access to transplantation by sex are modified by
underlying cause of ESRD and 2) understand perceived versus actual medical barriers to living kidney
donation according to donor sex. The expected outcome of this proposal is that we will enhance our
understanding of whether subpopulations of patients with various underlying causes of renal disease may
benefit from specific interventions to equalize parity in transplant. We also seek to understand which factors
may be modifiable in the living donor evaluation process to improve living donor transplantation rates and
access of women to living donor transplants.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10076364
- **Project number:** 7F32DK118869-02
- **Recipient organization:** STANFORD UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Patrick Ahearn
- **Activity code:** F32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $75,858
- **Award type:** 7
- **Project period:** 2020-01-01 → 2020-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10076364

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10076364, Sex Disparities in Access to Kidney Transplant (7F32DK118869-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10076364. Licensed CC0.

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