Comparative incidence rates of end-stage renal disease treatment by state

End-stage renal disease (ESRD) treatment rates vary significantly between states in the United States. Much of this variation relates to the much higher rate of ESRD in blacks and the differences in race, age, and sex composition of various states. Even after adjusting for race, age, and sex differences utilizing data from new patients reported to Medicare with ESRD between 1980 and 1983, marked variation in treatment incidence rates per million population were still present. Overall rates varied from 45 in North Dakota to 99 in New Jersey. Regional rate patterns were demonstrated with very high rates in southwestern states (Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California: 87-91/million). In contrast, several south-central states had lower rates (Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee: 66-75/million). By state the rates for blacks were consistently higher than for whites. After adjustment for sex and age differences, the rates for blacks varied from 125 in Arkansas to 242 in New Jersey. Several north-eastern states (Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Jersey) had higher rates of ESRD in blacks (197-242 million) as compared with several south-central states (Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama) where rates varied from 125 to 180 million. ESRD rates by primary etiologies by state showed marked variation of the major primary etiologies of ESRD: diabetic nephropathy rates were most predictive of overall ESRD rates, with much higher rates in the southwestern states (28.1-33.2) as compared with the south-central states (12.8-16.3).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)