Challenges in Cultural and Linguistic Discordance in Caring for Somali Kidney Transplant Recipients at a Large-Volume Transplant Center

K. Peterson,¹ O. Serrano,¹ M. Odegard,¹ S. Mongin,² D. Berglund,³ D. Vock,⁴ S. Chinnakotla,¹ T. Dunn,¹ E. Finger,¹ R. Kandaswamy,¹ T. Pruett,¹ A. Matas.¹

¹Division of Transplantation, Department of Surgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
²Biostatistical Design and Analysis Center, Clinical and Translational Science Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
³Informatics Services for Research and Reporting, Fairview Health Services, Minneapolis, MN
⁴Division of Biostatistics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN.

Meeting: 2018 American Transplant Congress

Abstract number: A326

Keywords: African-American, Kidney transplantation, Outcome

Session Information

Session Name: Poster Session A: Non-Organ Specific: Disparities to Outcome and Access to Healthcare

Session Type: Poster Session

Date: Saturday, June 2, 2018

Session Time: 5:30pm-7:30pm

Presentation Time: 5:30pm-7:30pm

Location: Hall 4EF

OBJECTIVE: Kidney Transplantation (KT) demands navigation of a complex healthcare system and adherence to lifelong immunosuppression therapy. Cultural and linguistic discordance between patients and providers has been identified as a barrier to successful KT. We studied KT outcomes among the Somali population at our institution.

METHODS: From 1995-2015, 2385 patients underwent KT at our institution; 22 identified as Somali. Repeat KT patients were excluded. Overall patient, graft, and rejection-free survival were analyzed. Utilization of interpreter services and ease of navigation of the transplant process was also evaluated.

RESULTS: Among 22 adult Somali KT recipients, 68% frequently utilized translator services in KT-related clinical encounters, compared to 2.2% in the Caucasian group (n=2636, p=<0.001). Median follow up was 4.0 and 9.2 years in the Somali and Caucasian groups, respectively. In the Somali cohort, there were 17 deceased and 5 living donor KT. Living donors were significantly younger (29 y.o.), compared to the Caucasian group (43 y.o.; p=0.03). Overall patient survival for the Somali vs Caucasian cohort was 100% vs 97.2% at 1 year, 95.5% vs 93.4% at 3 years, and 95.5% vs 89.1% at 5 years. Death-censored graft survival was 100% vs 94.8% at 1 year, 95.5% vs 88.5% at 3 years, and 95.5% vs 81.6% at 5 years. Rejection-free survival was 100% and 86.2% at 1 year, 100% and 83.6% at 3 years, and 100% and 82.1% at 5 years.

CONCLUSION: In this cohort of Somali KT recipients, cultural and linguistic discordance does not appear to affect KT outcomes with comparable results to the Caucasian cohort.

CITATION INFORMATION: Peterson K., Serrano O., Odegard M., Mongin S., Berglund D., Vock D., Chinnakotla S., Dunn T., Finger E., Kandaswamy R., Pruett T., Matas A. Challenges in Cultural and Linguistic Discordance in Caring for Somali Kidney Transplant Recipients at a Large-Volume Transplant Center Am J Transplant. 2017;17 (suppl 3).

To cite this abstract in AMA style:

Peterson K, Serrano O, Odegard M, Mongin S, Berglund D, Vock D, Chinnakotla S, Dunn T, Finger E, Kandaswamy R, Pruett T, Matas A. Challenges in Cultural and Linguistic Discordance in Caring for Somali Kidney Transplant Recipients at a Large-Volume Transplant Center [abstract]. https://atcmeetingabstracts.com/abstract/challenges-in-cultural-and-linguistic-discordance-in-caring-for-somali-kidney-transplant-recipients-at-a-large-volume-transplant-center/. Accessed May 10, 2025.

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