Newly funded research by Samantha Anthony aims to promote equitable access to living donor kidney transplantation for Chinese Canadians

Assistant Professor (status only) Dr. Samantha Anthony (SickKids) & Dr. Istvan Mucsi (UHN) received funding through the the Kidney Foundation of Canada – Allied Health Kidney Research Grant competition for research that aims to increase equitable access to living donor kidney transplantation among Chinese Canadians.

From the Canadian Donation and Transplantation Research Program website:

Ethnocultural inequities in access to living donor kidney transplantation (LDKT) have been described both globally and within the Canadian context. Chinese Canadians are the largest visible minority population in Canada with an increased risk of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) but have markedly reduced access to LDKT compared to Caucasians. However, potentially modifiable barriers to LDKT are largely unknown in this population. This major knowledge gap prevents the development of an effective, culturally-tailored strategy to increase LDKT in this population. Therefore, we aim to conduct the first empirical examination of ethnocultural perceptions and barriers to LDKT among Chinese Canadians, as well as explore the education needs and strategies of these communities to facilitate LDKT.

The overarching objective of our research is to promote equitable access to LDKT for Chinese Canadians. Our exploratory qualitative study will 1) identify perceptions and knowledge of LDKT among Chinese Canadians as well as perceived barriers of LDKT and living kidney donation; 2) determine kidney transplant-related education needs of Chinese Canadians; and 3) identify potential strategies and key members within the Chinese Canadian community to help facilitate the pursuit of LDKT. Finally, through a consensus workshop of key stakeholders we will establish recommendations to develop a novel, yet sustainable, culturally-tailored strategy to increase access to LDKT for Chinese Canadians. Ultimately, this health promotion program will contribute to excellence in kidney health, optimal quality of life and reduce the burden of kidney disease for this population.

Samantha J. Anthony joined the University of Toronto Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work in January 2016 as an Assistant Professor (Status only) and a Health Clinician Scientist in Social Work, a role created in partnership between the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto and The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids). She is a Scientist in the Child Health Evaluative Sciences Program at the SickKids Research Institute, a Social Worker in the SickKids Transplant and Regenerative Medicine Centre, and an Investigator with the Canadian Donation and Transplantation Research Program.