Improving liver transplant outcomes for children facing social challenges

Addressing social adversity to improve outcomes among children undergoing liver transplant: the role for a health advocate on the transplant team

NIH-funded research University of California, San Francisco · NIH-11082406

This study looks at how tough social situations can affect kids getting liver transplants and sees if having a health advocate can help these families do better after the surgery.

Quick facts

Grant typeNIH-funded research
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of California, San Francisco NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (San Francisco, United States)
Project IDNIH-11082406 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This research investigates how social adversity affects the outcomes of pediatric liver transplants and explores the role of a health advocate in addressing these challenges. By focusing on children from socioeconomically deprived backgrounds, the study aims to identify specific social risk factors that contribute to poor post-transplant outcomes. The research will utilize a multi-center cohort of children undergoing liver transplants to assess the impact of these social risks and the effectiveness of integrating health advocates into the transplant team. This approach seeks to enhance support for families and improve adherence to post-transplant care.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research are children aged 0-11 years who are undergoing liver transplantation and come from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds.

Not a fit: Patients who are not undergoing liver transplantation or those from stable socioeconomic backgrounds may not benefit from this research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved survival rates and quality of life for children undergoing liver transplants by addressing social determinants of health.

How similar studies have performed: Previous research in other medical fields has shown that addressing social determinants of health can significantly improve patient outcomes, suggesting a promising avenue for this approach in pediatric liver transplantation.

Where this research is happening

San Francisco, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions Cancers
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.