Kidney disease deaths climb faster along U.S.–Mexico border as specialist access lags
A CDC-data analysis found that chronic kidney disease death rates rose faster in U.S.–Mexico border counties than in nonborder counties between 1999 and 2022. Areas with fewer nephrologists had higher mortality, with each additional missing specialist per 100,000 residents linked to about 7% higher adjusted mortality. The authors describe a growing kidney-health disparity in largely Hispanic, medically underserved border communities.
Between 1999 and 2022, CKD death rates in U.S.–Mexico border counties rose from 48.2 to 81.4 per 100,000, about 2.7% annually. Nonborder counties increased from 35.1 to 54.4, roughly 1.3% yearly—about half the border pace.
Counties with the fewest nephrologists recorded 91.4 CKD deaths per 100,000 versus 52.8 where such specialists were most available. Each missing nephrologist per 100,000 residents corresponded to about 7% higher adjusted mortality. The county-level analysis cannot prove causation.
The findings may heighten attention to how specialist location affects kidney care access for residents of largely Hispanic, medically underserved border counties. Patients there could face reduced access to specialized care and higher risks from CKD progression, while local health systems may need to consider workforce gaps. The analysis is ecological, so it cannot show that adding nephrologists would reduce deaths; it may nonetheless inform future research and service planning.