Native Americans with diabetes
Kidney disease in Native Americans with diabetes
Remarkable progress made reducing kidney failure from diabetes in Native American populations
Federal data show diabetes-related kidney failure among Native American adults (American Indians/Alaskan Natives) decreased 54 percent between 1996 and 2013. This remarkable decrease follows population-based approaches to diabetes management and improvements in clinical care begun by the Indian Health Service (IHS) in the mid-1980s.
- Native Americans have a greater chance of having diabetes than any other U.S. racial/ethnic group.
- Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure in the U.S. Two out of three Native Americans with kidney failure have diabetes. But the rate of diabetes-related kidney failure in Native Americans has declined the fastest of any racial/ethnic group in the U.S.
- Kidney failure is a devastating and costly condition that requires regular dialysis or a kidney transplant for survival. Diabetes-related kidney failure is delayed or prevented by controlling blood pressure and blood sugar, using kidney-protective medicines, and regular kidney testing.
Key Findings from the report include:
- Despite well-documented health and socioeconomic disparities in the Native American population, kidney failure from diabetes has decreased substantially since 1996.
- IHS-supported care for Native Americans with diabetes has improved:
- Use of medicine to protect kidneys increased greatly, from 42% to 74% in 5 years.
- Average blood pressure in those with hypertension is well-controlled (133/76 in 2015).
- Blood sugar control improved by 10% between 1996 and 2014.
- More than 60% of Native Americans 65 years and older had a urine test for kidney damage (2015) compared to 40% of the Medicare diabetes population (2013).
- The Indian Health Service applied strong coordinated clinical care and education, community outreach and environmental changes. These measure can make a dramatic difference in reducing complications from diabetes for all Americans.
Contact Information
CDC Media Relations
(404) 639-3286
media@cdc.gov
Vital Signs Links
Factsheet:
English pdf icon[4.01MB]
Spanish pdf icon[4.03MB]
Spokespersons
Related Links
Most Relevant
- Press Release: Remarkable progress made reducing kidney failure from diabetes in Native American populations – English | Spanish
- MMWR – Vital Signs: Decrease in Incidence of Diabetes-Related End-Stage Renal Disease among American Indians/Alaska Natives — United States, 1996–2013
- Vital Signs: Home | January 2017 Vital Signs | Fact Sheet PDF 4.01 MBpdf icon | Topics
- Vital Signs: (Spanish) Home | 2017 Enero – Signos Vitales | Fact Sheet PDF 4.03MBpdf icon | Topics
Additional Resources
- American Association of Kidney Patientsexternal icon
- National Kidney Foundationexternal icon
- Indian Health Service Homepageexternal icon
- Division of Diabetes Treatment and Preventionexternal icon
- Special Diabetes Program for Indiansexternal icon
- NIH National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseasesexternal icon
- National Kidney Disease Education Programexternal icon
- NIH National Diabetes Education Programexternal icon
- CMS’ Mapping Medicare Disparities toolexternal icon
- American Diabetes Associationexternal icon
- ADA’s new 2017 Standards of Careexternal icon
Multimedia
Podcast
- Vital Signs – Native Americans with Diabetes – English | Spanish
- Vital Signs – Native Americans with Diabetes – [PSA – 0:60 seconds]
Page last reviewed: January 10, 2017
Content source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention