Closing the Kidney Care Gap in Hispanic and Latino Communities

National Hispanic Heritage Month, celebrated September 15 to October 15, is a time to celebrate the cultural contributions of Hispanic and Latino Americans. It’s also an opportunity to highlight the disproportionate impact of kidney disease on these communities and the essential role kidney dialysis providers play in delivering life-sustaining care.

Hispanic and Latino Americans face higher risks for chronic kidney disease (CKD) and kidney failure compared to white patients. Recent research shows that the prevalence of CKD among these adults has doubled in the past 30 years, while prevalence has remained relatively stable among other groups according to the American Journal of Kidney Diseases.

For Hispanic and Latino American patients living with kidney failure, dialysis providers are a vital lifeline. Dialysis not only sustains life but helps patients remain active in their families and communities. Providers are increasingly taking steps to address disparities by:

• Offering bilingual staff and patient education materials.

• Partnering with community organizations to raise awareness of CKD and preventive care.

• Delivering culturally competent care that builds trust and strengthens outcomes.

Programs nationwide are showing how culturally tailored kidney care can improve equity. For example, Northwestern Medicine’s Hispanic Kidney Transplant Program (HKTP) provides culturally and linguistically competent care to patients and their families seeking evaluations for kidney transplants, leading to a 74% increase of Hispanics and Latino Americans receiving living donor kidney transplants.

Dialysis providers in the Northwest and across the United States are adopting similar approaches to ensure that high-quality kidney care is inclusive and accessible.