Using the Explore Transplant Ontario Program to Increase Transplant Knowledge and Readiness among Patients on Maintenance Dialysis

D. Belenko,¹ C. Richardson,¹ V. Gupta,¹ T. Ahmed, N. Edwards, M. Novak,² J. Peipert,³ A. Waterman, I. Mucsi.

¹Multi-Organ Transplant Program, Department of Surgery, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
²Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
³David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA.

Meeting: 2018 American Transplant Congress

Abstract number: 384

Keywords: Donation, Kidney transplantation, Patient education, Renal failure

Session Information

Session Name: Concurrent Session: Psychosocial and Treatment Adherence

Session Type: Concurrent Session

Date: Monday, June 4, 2018

Session Time: 4:30pm-6:00pm

Presentation Time: 5:42pm-5:54pm

Location: Room 3AB

Introduction

Kidney transplantation (KT) is the preferred treatment for patients with End-Stage Kidney Disease (ESKD), yet many potentially eligible patients do not act to pursue KT. In this pilot study, we assessed the impact of the Explore Transplant Ontario (ETO) transplant education program on increasing KT knowledge and readiness for pursuing KT.

Materials and Methods

In this non-randomized, parallel arm prospective follow-up study, we recruited 230 maintenance dialysis ESKD patients from two hospitals. Control group patients (n=106) received KT education as usual. Intervention group patients received the ETO package, which combines informational KT brochures with video testimonials from patients & donors about their KT experience, as well as regular discussions about the ETO package. KT readiness and knowledge were assessed with validated questionnaires at baseline & 6 and 9 months afterwards.

Results

The intervention group was significantly older (mean [SD] age = 63 [10] vs 55 [14], p<0.001) and less likely to have completed Grade 12 (57% vs 88%, p<0.001). Baseline knowledge scores were higher in the control group (mean [SD] 8.41 [3.6] vs 7.29 [3.2], p<0.05). At baseline, intervention and control patients in the intervention group had similar deceased donor KT (DDKT) readiness (44% vs 51%, p=0.28) and living donor KT (LDKT) readiness (56% vs 53%, p=0.70). At 6 months, KT knowledge scores increased for both groups, with significantly greater increase for the intervention group (mean [SD]: 1.68 [3.3] vs 0.72 [2.6], p=0.03).

Intervention group patients who watched the videos compared to those who did not had near significantly higher KT knowledge (mean [SD] 9.5 [3.1] vs 8.3 [3.5], p=0.06) and were significantly more likely to increase in LDKT readiness after 6 months (23% vs 5%, p=0.02), with qualitatively similar results at 9 months. The majority of patients surveyed at the end of the study rated the ETO package education process as very useful.

Conclusion

Transplant education using the ETO program, particularly the use of videos, lead to improvements in KT knowledge and readiness for LDKT in Canadian dialysis patients.

CITATION INFORMATION: Belenko D., Richardson C., Gupta V., Ahmed T., Edwards N., Novak M., Peipert J., Waterman A., Mucsi I. Using the Explore Transplant Ontario Program to Increase Transplant Knowledge and Readiness among Patients on Maintenance Dialysis Am J Transplant. 2017;17 (suppl 3).

To cite this abstract in AMA style:

Belenko D, Richardson C, Gupta V, Ahmed T, Edwards N, Novak M, Peipert J, Waterman A, Mucsi I. Using the Explore Transplant Ontario Program to Increase Transplant Knowledge and Readiness among Patients on Maintenance Dialysis [abstract]. https://atcmeetingabstracts.com/abstract/using-the-explore-transplant-ontario-program-to-increase-transplant-knowledge-and-readiness-among-patients-on-maintenance-dialysis/. Accessed June 27, 2025.

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