Kidney Disease and Hispanics/Latinos

Kidney disease, also known as renal disease, happens when the kidneys have become damaged or have a problem with their structure that prevents them from filtering blood the way they should. As a result, waste and extra fluid can build up in the body.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a condition that occurs when the kidneys have become damaged over a longer period (for at least 3 months). In most cases, developing CKD is a slow process with very few symptoms at first. Many people with reduced kidney function are not even aware they have CKD. CKD can range from mild to severe and often gets worse over time, though treatment can slow it down. Some people develop kidney (renal) failure, which may require dialysis or kidney transplant to survive.

Having diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and a family history of kidney disease can all increase the risk of CKD. It also increases the risk of other health problems like stroke and heart disease. It’s important to get tested for CKD regularly if you're at risk. Healthy lifestyle choices such as eating a healthy diet, being physically active, not smoking, and taking medications when needed can help treat and prevent CKD.

From 2017 to 2020, Hispanic/Latino adults were 8% more likely to have chronic kidney disease than U.S. adults overall.

In 2022, Hispanics/Latinos were 10% less likely to die of kidney disease than the U.S. population overall.

In 2022, Hispanic/Latino Medicare patients with diabetes were 2% more likely than Medicare patients with diabetes nationwide to receive an annual urinary microalbumin test, which checks for early kidney problems.

Additional Resources

MedlinePlus

Kidney Diseases (in Spanish)
Chronic Kidney Disease (in Spanish)

Related Data

Further Reading

HHS OMH Knowledge Center Topic Guide: Kidney Disease

Occurrence

Adults ages 18 and over with chronic kidney disease, age-adjusted percentage, 2017–2020
Hispanic	Total Population	Ratio (Hispanic / Total)
13.5	12.5	1.08

Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. (2025). National Health Interview Survey, Healthy People 2030: Reduce the proportion of adults with chronic kidney disease. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Adults ages 18 and over with chronic kidney disease stages 1–4, crude percentage, 2021–2023
Hispanic	Total Population	Ratio (Hispanic / Total)
31.0	41.7	0.74

Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2026, January 28). National diabetes statistics report (Crude Prevalence of Chronic Kidney Disease Among Adults Aged 18 Years or Older, Overall and by Race and Ethnicity, United States, 2021–2023). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Adults ages 18 and over with chronic kidney disease stages 3–4 who know they have reduced kidney function, percentage, 2021–2023
Hispanic	Total Population	Ratio (Hispanic / Total)
29.5	33.8	0.87

Adjusted incidence of end-stage renal disease, cases per million persons, 2022
Hispanic	Total Population	Ratio (Hispanic / Total)
513	381	1.35
Note: Source uses bridged race and ethnicity categories.

Source: U.S. Renal Data System, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health. (2024). Incidence, prevalence, patient characteristics, and treatment modalities (Figures 1.1 and 1.4b). In 2024 USRDS Annual Data Report. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Mortality

Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis (kidney disease) mortality, age-adjusted rate per 100,000 population, 2022
	Hispanic	Total Population	Ratio (Hispanic / Total)
Male	14.9	16.7	0.89
Female	10.5	11.6	0.91
Both Sexes	12.4	13.8	0.90

Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. (2025). Deaths: Final data for 2022 (National Vital Statistics Report, Vol. 74, No. 4, Table 11). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Health Care Use

Annual urinary microalbumin measurement among Medicare beneficiaries with diagnosed diabetes, percentage, 2022
Hispanic	Total Population	Ratio (Hispanic / Total)
53.7	52.7	1.02

Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. (2025). National Health Interview Survey, Healthy People 2030: Increase the proportion of adults with diabetes who get a yearly urinary albumin test. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Date Last Reviewed: March 2026