Kidney disease patients who have a basic understanding of health information are more likely to receive an organ transplant according to the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nehprology (CJASN). The study revealed an inconsistency in access to care and the need for more procedures for referring patients for transplantation.
 
Research showed people with poor health literacy have more difficulty understanding written materials, processing oral instructions and navigating health care environments than individuals with sufficient health literacy. The ability to obtain and understand health information to make appropriate health decisions may be important for patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) because preparing for kidney transplantation requires undergoing several steps, including keeping a number of appointments at different locations and following complicated instructions for several tests.
 
The study found one-third of patients had inadequate health care literacy. 

This article originally appeared in the January 2009 issue of Kidney Transplant Today.