Access to Kidney Care Starts with Feeling Safe

This Pride Month, it's worth talking about something that is at the center of all kidney care: trust. But for many LGBTQ+ patients, trust in the healthcare system is not always a given.

According to 2020 research published by the American Heart Association, more than half of LGBTQ adults, and 70% of transgender or gender non-conforming adults, report experiencing some form of discrimination from a healthcare professional.

When patients face challenges trusting their health care providers, they avoid care. And when they avoid care, conditions like chronic kidney disease (CKD), which can progress silently for years before symptoms appear, go undetected. CKD is already one of the most underdiagnosed conditions in the United States. For LGBTQ+ patients who have faced barriers to care, the barrier to early diagnosis of kidney disease is even higher.

The connection between LGBTQ+ health and kidney disease specifically is documented.

Research published through the National Institutes of Health found that LGBTQ+ populations experience elevated rates of several conditions that are also primary risk factors for kidney disease, including diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. The pathway from discrimination to poor health outcomes is clear: populations who have historically faced barriers to or denial of care may disengage from the healthcare system entirely, and the conditions that could have been caught and managed early instead go unaddressed.

Affirming kidney care is a clinical imperative. Patients who feel safe with their health care team are more likely to be honest about symptoms, more likely to follow through on referrals, and more likely to stay engaged with treatment over time. For a condition like CKD, where early intervention can dramatically slow progression and reduce the risk of reaching end-stage renal disease (ESKD), that engagement is the difference between a manageable chronic condition and life-sustaining kidney dialysis or a transplant.

The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) also offers resources specifically for LGBTQ+ patients, including guidance on finding affirming nephrologists and connecting with peer mentors who understand the intersection of LGBTQ+ identity and kidney disease. NKF Cares can connect patients with information and support.

At the Northwest Kidney Council, we believe access to safe, high-quality kidney care means access for everyone. Getting there requires more than clinical excellence. It requires care systems that every patient can walk into and trust. Oregon and Washington kidney dialysis providers are committed to providing affirming kidney care.