There are significant racial disparities that exist in the diagnosis of CKD, 19.5% of Non-Hispanic Black Adults in the US live with CKD, compared to Hispanic adults at 13.7% and Non-Hispanic White Adults at 11.7%2. Social Determinants of Health (SDOH), the nonmedical factors that influence health outcomes, such as the environments where people are born, live, work, worship, play, and age, can have a significant effect on health outcomes12. For example, a patient working to prevent advancement of CKD may not have access to a car for errands and daily needs and the nearest grocery store with fresh foods is further than four miles away from their home. In this scenario, providers can only support the promotion of health behaviors that decrease the advancement of CKD after a full assessment of the patient’s SDOH. Understanding the resources that are available to the patient will help providers work with the patient to navigate the everyday barriers they may face. Utilizing community service referrals, such as social worker and community health workers, for patients with CKD to address SDOH and other needs can be a useful tool in preventing progression of CKD as well.
