We Need More Male Donors
Author Information
Author(s): Jessica L. Harding
Primary Institution: Emory University
Hypothesis
Are men and women similarly likely to want to donate, but differentially excluded during the evaluation process?
Conclusion
The study suggests that men are less likely to consider being a living kidney donor compared to women.
Supporting Evidence
- Women constitute approximately 60% of living kidney donor transplants but less than 40% of recipients.
- Female potential living donors were more likely to have ABO incompatibility with their intended recipients.
- Female potential living donors were 2.5 times more likely to be excluded due to the recipient being too sick, deceased, or declined gift.
Takeaway
This study shows that while more women want to donate kidneys, men are not volunteering as much, which is a problem we need to fix.
Methodology
The study examined sex differences in living kidney donor evaluation among potential living donors who self-referred to a transplant center.
Potential Biases
There may be underrepresentation of male potential living donors due to higher rates of comorbidities that prevent them from completing the intake form.
Limitations
The study only included individuals who completed the self-referral intake form, potentially missing those who did not due to medical contraindications.
Participant Demographics
The study included adult potential living donors from a single transplant center in Massachusetts.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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