Preventing drop-out of potential living kidney donors from Black, Hispanic, and underserved communities
Transforming Curiosity into Donation: Validating a Risk Prediction Index to Detect and Prevent Drop-Out in Potential Living Kidney Donors who are Racial/Ethnic Minorities
This project builds a tool to spot and support Black, Hispanic, and other potential living kidney donors who might stop the donor evaluation process so more patients can get life-saving transplants.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Methodist Hospital Research Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11129827 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you are thinking about donating a kidney, this project looks at why some people — especially Black, Hispanic/Latino, low-income, or non-related donors — stop the donor evaluation process and how to help them stay engaged. Researchers will analyze existing regional and national donor records to find patterns that predict who is at higher risk of dropping out. They will test and validate a risk-prediction index and then pilot targeted supports (like enhanced navigation or resources) to reduce barriers for people flagged by the tool. The goal is to make the donation process easier and fairer for underserved communities.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are adults (21+) who are current potential living kidney donors or are expressing interest in donation, especially those who are Black, Hispanic/Latino, low-income, or not biologically related to the transplant candidate.
Not a fit: People who are not considering living kidney donation, minors, or those who are medically ineligible to donate are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the project could increase living kidney donation among underrepresented groups and reduce disparities in access to transplantation.
How similar studies have performed: Prior programs using donor education and patient navigation have sometimes improved donation rates, but applying and validating a formal risk-prediction index to prevent drop-out is a newer approach.
Where this research is happening
Houston, United States
- Methodist Hospital Research Institute — Houston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Waterman, Amy Doggette — Methodist Hospital Research Institute
- Study coordinator: Waterman, Amy Doggette
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.