# Improving access to renal transplantation for Underserved Black Communities

> **NIH NIH U01** · NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $732,172

## Abstract

Project Summary
While Black persons account for approximately 14.6% of the US population, among those with end-stage renal
disease (ESRD) 35% are Black. Treatment options include dialysis, but best outcomes (survival, quality of life,
cost) are achieved with kidney transplantation. Yet, Black ESRD patients are less likely referred for kidney
transplant evaluation - a national mandate for those with ESRD - less likely listed for kidney transplantation,
less likely to receive a kidney transplantation. As outlined by the FOA (RFA-DK-22-014), structural racism is a
fundamental cause of the stark racial disparity in health outcomes for Black patients with ESRD in the US.
Chicago is one of the most segregated cities in the US and serves as an excellent example of structurally
racist communities that have disinvested in Black communities with a mean life-expectancy that is almost 30
years lower than that of affluent predominantly White Chicago neighborhoods. To counteract these severe
forces of structural racism, Dr. Simpson, engaged with the Black community to build and name the first and
largest African American Transplant Access Program {AATAP) in the nation and has enjoyed national
prominence. AATAP is a multi-pronged intervention with 4 pillars: 1. Cultural Congruency, 2. Trust/Activation,
3. Health Literacy, and 4. Psychosocial Support taking a 'Keeping it RE.A.LL.' (Racial concordance between
provider and patient, Empathy, Affirmation, Length of visit and Lay person language) approach.
Aim 1. To study the impact of African American Transplant Access Program (AATAP) designed to
mitigate structural racism and reduce health inequities for Black ESRD patients
Aim 1.1. To assess the impact of AATAP on patients' perception of health-related quality of life, social support,
patient activation, self-efficacy, knowledge about kidney transplant and perception about discrimination
Aim 1.2. To assess impact of AATAP on process measure {e.g., time to listing, completion of work-up, listing)
Aim 1.3. To assess impact of community engagement and dissemination of information aboutAATAP on
referral for kidney transplant
Aim 2: To increase awareness and structural competency among transplant gatekeepers at 2 large
kidney transplant centers
Aim 2.1. To study the experience of Black patients, providers, and team members in terms of perception of
discrimination within the transplant health system through qualitative interviews
Aim 2.2. To perform recurrent implicit bias and structural competency training
Aim 2.3. To assess perceived discrimination of Black patients over time
Aim 3: To demonstrate generalizability by adapting the AATAP program to a second large kidney
transplant program in Tampa Florida

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10914278
- **Project number:** 5U01DK137258-02
- **Recipient organization:** NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Kiarri N Kershaw
- **Activity code:** U01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $732,172
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-09-01 → 2025-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10914278

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10914278, Improving access to renal transplantation for Underserved Black Communities (5U01DK137258-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10914278. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*