Chronic Kidney Disease in Hispanic Population in US: A Public Health Research Gap

Hispanic population is very fast growing in the United States of America. The incidence and prevalence of End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) is Hispanics is higher than that of non-Hispanic Whites. The Hispanics with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) are at a greater risk for kidney failure. The main contributing factors for this higher burden of chronic kidney disease are diabetes, and metabolic syndrome. Both diabetes and metabolic syndrome are common in Hispanics. In addition, Health care access, quality of health care, language barrier, health literacy, low socioeconomic status, life style etc., may further contribute to the increased disease burden of CKD in the Hispanic population in the Unites States of America. Despite the recognition of public health importance of the problem, there is very little data about Hispanics with CKD. Rio Grande Valley (RGV) is a very important hub for Hispanics and an appropriate geographic place to study the CKD problem due to various reasons. A review of the literature on CKD and other issues in Hispanic population in US is ascertained using PubMed and Google scholar. Even when the issues and contexts are well appreciated there are paucity of valid data on the subject. Research on CKD including ESRD in Hispanics may be reassessed in RGV.