Dr. Prakash noted that the findings might be explained by several factors, such as the availability of pre-dialysis patient education or the accessibility of primary care doctors and kidney specialists. Addressing these findings might lead to improved access to kidney care in predominantly black residential areas.

In reviewing the results of Dr. Prakash's study in an accompanying editorial, Sharon Stein Merkin, PhD (Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA) stated that the authors provide valuable new information by focusing on the racial composition of regions rather than individual-level factors. "Considering the important role of public health in implementing interventions at the community level, this focus is crucial for pinpointing the needs and characteristics of community-level interventions," she wrote. Dr. Merkin added that the fact that the investigators did not find an association between racial composition and quality of nephrology care emphasizes the significance of focusing on access to nephrology care in high-risk areas as a way to reduce morbidity and mortality related to ESRD.

SOURCE Journal of the American Society Nephrology