African-Americans are more at risk for kidney failure than any other race. More than 1 in 3 kidney failure patients living in the United States is African-American. That is over 150,000 people!
1. Diabetes is the #1 cause of kidney failure. It causes almost half of all cases in the United States. Diabetes is a serious problem for African-Americans:
2. High Blood Pressure is the #2 cause of kidney failure. It causes about 1 out of 4 cases in the United States. High blood pressure is a serious problem for African-Americans:
3. Almost 1 in 5 African-Americans is uninsured. If diabetes, high blood pressure, and kidney disease are caught early, they can usually be managed. However, almost 1 in 5 African-Americans is not insured. As a result, their health care choices may be limited.
1. Get tested. Talk to your doctor about being tested for diabetes, high blood pressure and kidney disease. Many patients with kidney disease never have any symptoms until it is too late. Ask your doctor to perform a blood and urine test to test for kidney disease.
2. Eat right. Eat foods low in fat and cholesterol. Eat foods that are high in fiber. Limit how much alcohol you drink.
3. Live healthy. Exercise, keep a healthy weight, don’t smoke or use tobacco, and treat bladder and kidney infections fast.
4. Manage diabetes and high blood pressure. Diabetes and high blood pressure cause about 3 out of 4 cases of kidney failure. If you have either, talk to your doctor about how to keep them in control. Click here to order or download our brochures, "Diabetes and Your Kidneys" and "High Blood Pressure and Your Kidneys".
We provide education, health screenings, and follow-up to high-risk minority communities in Washington, D.C., Atlanta, and Chicago.