Transplant International has published a special issue of its journal on “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Transplantation”. This issue presents a collection of studies that examine inequities in transplantation related to race, gender, socioeconomics, and geography, providing evidence and insights into these persistent disparities.
- Ethnic minorities: Comorbidities such as diabetes, obesity, and hepatitis B/C are more prevalent among certain ethnic groups, adversely impacting both donation and transplantation rates. This results in disproportionately high numbers of minority patients remaining on waiting lists.
- Migrants: Barriers such as limited awareness, incomplete healthcare coverage, language obstacles, and cultural differences hinder migrants’ access to transplant services.
- Gender bias: Women disproportionately donate organs yet receive transplants less frequently. While the higher incidence of conditions requiring transplantation among men plays a role, psychological and socio-economic factors also contribute to this disparity.
- Socioeconomic factors: Patients with higher income and education levels have greater access to transplant waitlists and procedures compared to those with lower income or limited education.
- Restricted groups: Specific challenges affect children (due to the difficulty of finding size-matched organs) and highly sensitized individuals (due to limited compatibility in the donor pool).
- Geographic disparities: Significant regional differences exist in the number of transplants performed across Europe. Wealthier areas generally have better access to transplant centers, a gap that is even more pronounced in emerging economies or least-developed countries, where transplantation access may be minimal or non-existent.
Download the pdf of the special issue of Transplant International at this link
