Talking about race is never just black and white, but when it comes to health, one thing is crystal clear: racial disparities exist and a variety of factors, including genetics, seem to play a role.
Black Americans are three times more likely than White Americans to develop kidney disease and to require dialysis. This is both a troubling statement and a sad reality for the African-American population. Of great concern is that this racial disparity remains constant across all age groups. It may not make many headlines, but it needs to be brought to the attention of the public.
The two most common causes of kidney disease in the black population are the same as other races: diabetes and high blood pressure, in that order. And yet, blacks are twice as likely as whites to develop diabetes and also more likely to develop kidney failure from high blood pressure and diabetes than any other racial group.
New research has also identified genetic differences in the African-American population that seem to further explain the racial disparity. Genetic markers such as the APOL1 gene occur with much greater frequency in the African-American population. These markers may explain why kidney disease seems to progress more rapidly in the black population than any other racial group.
Read the full, original story: Silent Epidemic: Kidney Disease in the African-American Population
