University of Bristol and UK Renal Registry

ILD131

In the UK, about 1,000 people under the age of 18 have kidney failure. Most children and young people receive dialysis unless they can have a kidney transplant. A kidney transplant is the best treatment for most people with kidney failure. It is linked to better survival than staying on dialysis. For children, it also offers the best chance for near-normal growth and development. In the National Health Service, people should have equal access to the best care for their kidney disease. However, we know that people’s health and the care they receive can be affected by their sex, ethnicity, and where they live. No study has yet investigated whether differences in waitlisting or access to transplantation by donor type exist for children of different ethnicity, socioeconomic group or sex, accounting for all three key factors. The aim of this proposal is to investigate whether inequalities in accessing kidney transplantation exist for children and young people in the UK by sex, socioeconomic deprivation, or ethnicity. This will be the first step in tackling differences in access to best kidney care which are avoidable. We expect this project will lead the way for further work to test ways to make kidney transplantation equally available for all children and young people with kidney failure.

25/09/2023