Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a global health issue characterised by a high burden of comorbidities and mortality. The global prevalence of CKD has been estimated at 13.4% and is approximately 15% higher in low-income countries compared with high-income (industrialised) countries. A major contributor to the regional differences in CKD prevalence is social disadvantage (including place of residence, level of schooling, ethnicity, religion, employment and poverty). Persons with social disadvantage are more likely to develop risk factors for CKD, such as obesity, diabetes and hypertension, than those who are socially advantaged, which may explain their higher incidence rates of CKD and kidney failure.
This presentation will outline the latest research about assessing health equity in CKD. It will describe an ‘equity focused’ systematic review; highlight the impact of factors of social disadvantage on CKD health outcomes such as cardiovascular events, disease progression, survival and access to care; and from a different angle, assess the impact of having CKD on a person’s future economic prospects.
This presentation will then outline some of the opportunities to intervene and reduce health inequities, focusing on how current clinical trials (such as the Symptom monitoring WIth Feedback Trial [SWIFT]) can address health equity questions.