Ethnic Minorities: Social and Economic Determinants of Kidney Disease

Health
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Health
There are a number of social and economic determinants of kidney disease among ethnic minorities. In this paper, the socioeconomic determinants of kidney disease among ethnic minorities are summarized based on readings of 2 articles. These articles are Race and Kidney Disease: Role of social and environmental factors by Demissachew and Tucker (2002); and Chronic kidney disease in African American and Mexican American population by Tareen et al. (2005). This essay incorporates a discussion of the role of social attitudes with regard to race/ethnicity and class as a potential contributor to end-stage renal disease (ESRD)-related health disparities.
Socioeconomic determinants of kidney disease among ethnic minorities
Certainly, there are racial inequalities amongst American citizens in health outcomes as regards kidney disease. It is of note that Native, Hispanic, Asian and African Americans have the highest risks of developing end-stage renal disease (ESRD). According to Tareen et al., (2005), Mexican Americans and African Americans have unduly high ESRD rates relative to white Americans. It is notable that some health behaviors, for instance lack of exercise, drinking, smoking or poor nutrition could have major effects on the health of an individual. Likewise, an individual’s community, ethnicity and race, income, educational attainment and wealth could also have significant health effects (Tareen et al., 2005). There is a strong association between kidney disease and ethnicity/race, income disparity, wealth, income, housing conditions and community environment. In essence, individuals who have higher personal wealth or incomes, who reside within a safe and healthy environment and have more years of education – which clearly describes the lives white Americans –, are less likely to have kidney disease. On the other hand, individuals with lower incomes, fewer years of schooling, living in poorer neighborhoods and with less accumulation of wealth – which clearly describes the lives of American racial minorities – are more likely to have kidney disease (Joshi, Gaynor & Ciancio, 2012).
Role of social attitudes with regard to race/ethnicity and class as a potential contributor to ESRD-related health disparities
The occurrence of ESRD is 4 times higher in blacks relative to whites. There is a high chance that socioeconomic factors and social attitudes contribute greatly in the persistence of these dissimilarities. Factors which are potentially changeable, for instance poor glycemic and blood pressure control, suboptimal health behaviors as well as lower social economic status account for over 80 percent of these differences (Nzerue, Demissachew & Tucker, 2002). The social attitudes and socioeconomic factors contributing to the racial inequalities observed in kidney disease are: (i) lack of hea...