Kidney transplant patients without social protection in health: What do patients say about the economic hardships and impact?

Abstract

Kidney transplant is the optimal treatment for renal disease according to biomedical criteria, but the technology is highly expensive. The aim of this article was to examine the economic hardships experienced by kidney transplant patients and the impact on their lives, specifically when they lack social protection in health. The article reports on a qualitative study conducted in Mexico. Twenty-one kidney transplant patients participated. Semi-structured interviews were performed and submitted to content analysis. Patients experience extreme economic hardship due to the high cost of renal therapies, particularly medicines. Such economic problems adversely affect their condition, since many patients report difficulties in maintaining their immunosuppressant medication, attending medical appointments, and curtailing household expenditures, further aggravated by loss of earnings. In conclusion, kidney transplantation is associated with patients’ impoverishment when they lack social protection in health. A protection system is urgently needed for this group.