BURDEN, ACCESS, AND DISPARITIES IN KIDNEY DISEASE.
1Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
2Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology and Clinical Research, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
3Johns Hopkins Center for Health Equity, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
4Division of Nephrology & Transplant Immunology, Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
5Nephrology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt.
ABSTRACT
Kidney disease is a global public health problem, affecting over 750 million persons worldwide. The burden of kidney disease varies substantially across the world. In many settings, rates of kidney disease and the provision of its care are defined by socio-economic, cultural, and political factors leading to significant disparities. World Kidney Day 2019 offers an opportunity to raise awareness of kidney disease and highlight disparities in its burden and current state of global capacity for prevention and management. Here we highlight the need for strengthening basic infrastructure for kidney care services for early detection and management of acute kidney injury and chronic kidney disease across all countries and advocate for more pragmatic approaches to providing renal replacement therapies. Achieving universal health coverage worldwide by 2030 is a World Health Organization Sustainable Development Goal. While universal health coverage may not include all elements of kidney care in all countries, understanding what is locally feasible and important with a focus on reducing the burden and consequences of kidney disease would be an important step towards achieving kidney health equity.
Keywords: Acute kidney injury; End stage renal disease; Global health; Health equity; Social determinants of health
Brunei Int Med J. 2019; 15:17-26