Kidney Week 2025 Annual Meeting-Diversity and Equity in Kidney Health: Research and Cases

Video Transcription

Video Summary

The session “Diversity and Equity in Kidney Health Research and Cases,” hosted by ASN DEI leaders Drs. Jason Cobb and Hilda Fernandez, highlighted nine projects addressing inequities in kidney care, research participation, and outcomes.<br /><br />Quinn Stein presented data from genetic testing for COL4A3/4/5 showing similar hematuria documentation by sex, but men with COL4A3/4 variants were tested 5–9 years earlier than women, suggesting diagnostic delay for women and the need for routine urinalysis and earlier genetic consideration.<br /><br />Raj Shah described PCORI-supported, home-based kidney care for American Indian communities using community health workers, point-of-care testing, telemedicine, and texts to improve “patient activation” (PAM). Trials showed increased activation (~8.7 points) and improvements in BMI, inflammation, A1C, and mental health.<br /><br />Aisha Montgomery discussed a South Dallas, 100% African American CKD dietary intervention providing free fruits/vegetables. Retention dropped when switching to vouchers; participant-informed changes (pre-ordering, delivery, flexible redemption, replacing lost vouchers) doubled voucher use and improved retention to 70%, underscoring the role of social barriers in research.<br /><br />A Texas “transitional dialysis” program for uninsured patients in Travis County reduced time on emergency-only dialysis (median ~105 to ~27 days), increased permanent access placement, enabled transplant referral/listing, and suggested major cost savings.<br /><br />James Wetmore used a revised CMS medical evidence form to show that not understanding health literature in English was associated with lower odds of counseling on home dialysis/transplant/conservative care and lower optimal initiation.<br /><br />Other talks linked supportive housing for homeless veterans to reduced ESKD/death risk; tested a lay-navigator telehealth decision-support intervention for Black CKD patients; showed neighborhood structural racism predicts lower waitlisting/LDKT/preemptive transplant; and found dialysis facility quality metrics do not eliminate Black–White waitlisting disparities, raising concerns about punitive payment models.

Asset Subtitle

Moderator(s): Jason Cobb, Hilda Fernandez

Presentation(s):

Sex-Based Disparities in Hematuria Recognition and Diagnosis in Alport Syndrome - Quinn Stein
Effectiveness of a Home-Based Kidney Care and Education Intervention Among American Indian (AI) Communities - Vallabh Shah
Addressing Social Barriers to Improve Research Engagement of Study Participants from an Underserved, Minoritized Population in a Community-Based Dietary Intervention for CKD - Aisha Montgomery
Benefits of a Dedicated Dialysis Program for Uninsured Patients with ESKD in Texas - Elena G. Slavcheva
Understanding Health Information in English and "Nonoptimal" Dialysis Initiation: Insights from the New Medical Evidence Form - James Wetmore
Supportive Housing Participation and Risks of ESKD and Death in US Veterans Experiencing or at Risk for Homelessness - Guofen Yan
Bridging Gaps in Kidney Care: A Pilot Trial of ImPart-Multi for Black Patients with CKD and Comorbidities - Shena Gazaway
Residential Neighborhood Structural Racism and Access to Kidney Transplantation - Yiting Li
Association of ESRD Quality Incentive Program Dialysis Facility Quality with Racial Disparities in Transplant Wait-Listing - Jameel Alausa

Note: Continuing education credits are not being offered for this session.

Meta Tag

Date 11/8/2025

Pathway 1 Other

Session ID 519848

Keywords

kidney health equity

ASN DEI session

kidney care disparities

genetic testing COL4A3 COL4A4 COL4A5

sex differences diagnostic delay

American Indian home-based kidney care

community health workers telemedicine

patient activation measure PAM

African American CKD nutrition intervention

uninsured transitional dialysis program

language barriers health literacy counseling

structural racism transplant waitlisting

dialysis facility quality metrics disparities