Kidney Health Education and Research Group Information

The “Kidney Health Education and Research Group” group is part of both the Multiorgan Transplant Program and Centre for Mental Health at the University Health Network and University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. We are a multidisciplinary, interprofessional group of healthcare professionals building partnerships with patients, other researchers and professional and lay organizations to work towards the following goals: to promote psychosocial and behavioral aspects of kidney health, kidney disease and kidney transplantation; to conduct innovative, patient-centered outcomes research projects to identify common and potentially modifiable psychosocial and cultural factors that have negative impact on clinical outcomes and the quality of life of patients with various stages of chronic kidney disease; to carry out quality improvement projects to implement clinically relevant research findings into routine clinical practice; to advance integrated care and collaborative care models for patients and families with chronic kidney disease for the management of potentially modifiable psychosocial concerns, such as psychological distress, sleep problems, hopelessness and burnout. Our studies involve the participation of patients treated with dialysis, kidney transplant recipients and patients with earlier stages of chronic kidney disease. Our goal is to facilitate shared decision-making, self-management and improve satisfaction and quality of life of patients with various stages of chronic kidney disease; We are conducting studies at the University Health Network and other teaching and community hospitals. We are also planning studies that will assess knowledge about and attitudes towards chronic kidney disease, dialysis and kidney transplantation in the general public.