Predictors of Living Kidney Donor Recruitment

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The alarming rise of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in the United States has greatly increased the demand for kidney transplantation, which has been shown to reduce mortality and improve quality of life compared to chronic dialysis. Given a limited supply of cadaveric kidneys, nephrologists have increasingly focused their attention on living kidney donation. Little information exists, however, on what factors predict whether potential kidney transplant recipients will be able to recruit living donors. Our project will consist of a prospective cohort study of potential transplant recipients. The specific aim is to predict the successful ability of ESRD patients to recruit potential living kidney donors. The primary hypothesis is that ESRD patients who are successful donor recruiters have greater knowledge about the benefits of living donor transplantation than unsuccessful recruiters. Questionnaires will be used to measure exposures such as knowledge and beliefs about outcomes for kidney transplant recipients, preference for a living transplant, fear of harming donors, self-efficacy, and strength of social network. The primary outcome of successful recruitment will be registration of a potential donor at a transplant center for evaluation.