A neighbourhood's overall socioeconomic status, including income and education level, may influence its residents' risk of chronic kidney disease, according to a study.
The study was recently published in SSM Population Health by researchers from Drexel University's Dornsife School of Public Health.
Although previous studies have shown an association between individual socioeconomic status and chronic kidney disease, less is known about how the characteristics of an individual's neighbourhood, such as overall socioeconomic status, walkability, violent crime and availability of healthy food, may influence the risk of chronic kidney disease, poor blood sugar control (A1c over or equal to 6.5 per cent) and uncontrolled high blood pressure (at least one instance of systolic blood pressure greater than 140 mm Hg and/or diastolic blood pressure greater than 90 mm Hg), especially in urban areas.
In a study of 23,692 adult Philadelphians, all seen in a primary care practice in 2016 or 2017, the authors found that those living in low socioeconomic status neighbourhoods (factoring in neighbourhood income, educational attainment and occupation), were more likely to have kidney disease than those living in higher socioeconomic status neighbourhoods.
Also, poor neighbourhood walkability, as measured by Walkscore, was associated with poor blood sugar control in chronic kidney disease patients and poor blood pressure control in those without chronic kidney disease.
The authors adjusted for individual age, race, sex and insurance type.
Chronic kidney disease is characterized by damaged kidneys that are unable to adequately filter waste and excess fluids out of the blood.
Without early detection and management of blood pressure and blood glucose, this damage can lead to kidney failure and dialysis or a kidney transplant as the remaining options.
