End-stage renal disease prevention strategies in Latin America

Latin America (LA), defined here as the countries in the Western hemisphere located south of the United States, is a region with a total population of nearly 520,000,000 that increases 1.5% annually and has a human development index of 0.77. The countries that form this region present extreme contrasts. These contrasts are first and foremost within the countries themselves, because extremes of wealth and poverty are present in their social and economic fabric. In addition, in LA a vast variety of government modalities and political systems are represented. Therefore, in order for prevention strategies to be effective, they need to be tailored to the specific characteristics and idiosyncrasies of individual nations. This article will address the following aspects: first, a broad outline of the basic health statistics in LA, with focus on treatment of end-stage renal disease and its derived economic burden. Data from LA countries will be contrasted with 95% confidence interval of corresponding data from 10 industrialized countries (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom, United States, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland). Second, we will discuss the prevalence of some risk factors for end-stage renal disease in the nations of the region. For this reason, we will focus on data that provide reliable information. Finally, we will consider general guidelines for the implementation of prevention strategies that may have common applicability in LA countries.