Substantial racial/ethnic disparities exist in the area of renal health. Minority groups are more than 50% of all persons on the waiting list for a kidney transplant in the United States. Yet, because minorities donate organs at a rate that reflects their representation in the population, the shortage of kidneys for minorities with End-Stage Renal Disease has reached crisis proportions. Such trends suggest that in addition to conducting research that can better define the correlates and causes of racial/ethnic disparities in kidney transplantation rates research is also needed to identify psychosocial and psychoneuroimmunological factors that contribute to poorer health outcomes. The findings can be exported to the design of prevention campaigns and that can efficaciously reduce the prevalence of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, poor nutrition and inadequate exercise, and licit and illicit substance use among minorities. The Howard University Project Export Center of Renal Health will be structured to serve as an institutionalized and permanent research center that will complete research and test interventions and practices that can reduce current racial/ethnic differentials in renal health. The Center will be headed by Dr. Clive O. Callender, the nation's premiere kidney transplantation specialist and a pioneer in creating interventions to remedy racial/ethnic gaps in renal health.
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