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South Carolina Value:
Percentage of adults who reported ever being told by a health professional that they had kidney disease (excluding kidney stones, bladder infection and incontinence)
South Carolina Rank:
Percentage of adults who reported ever being told by a health professional that they had kidney disease (excluding kidney stones, bladder infection and incontinence)
2.6% - 3.4%
3.5% - 3.8%
3.9% - 4.1%
4.2% - 4.5%
4.6% - 5.8%
No Data
US Value: 4.0 %
Top State(s): Vermont: 2.8 %
Bottom State(s): West Virginia: 5.8 %
Definition: Percentage of adults who reported ever being told by a health professional that they had kidney disease (excluding kidney stones, bladder infection and incontinence)
Data Source and Years(s): U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2024
Suggested Citation: America's Health Rankings analysis of U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, United Health Foundation, AmericasHealthRankings.org, accessed 2026.
Chronic kidney disease impairs the kidneys’ ability to effectively filter blood and can lead to permanent organ damage. CKD can be caused by other kidney conditions or autoimmune diseases, but the majority of cases are attributable to diabetes and high blood pressure. Other risk factors include heart disease and a family history of kidney failure.
Since chronic kidney disease progresses slowly over a long period of time, it often goes undiagnosed. Nine in 10 adults with CKD do not know that they have it. Early screening is essential for those at higher risk of chronic kidney disease, such as those with a family history of CKD or those with past kidney damage. Symptoms associated with CKD typically get worse over time, progressing to kidney failure and early cardiovascular disease, though treatment can slow the progression. In 2022, chronic kidney disease accounted for more than $86 billion in Medicare costs.
According to America’s Health Rankings analysis, the prevalence of chronic kidney disease is higher among:
Since there is no cure for chronic kidney disease, prevention is important. Prevention strategies include increasing physical activity, not smoking or quitting smoking, eating less salt, managing blood pressure and blood sugar levels, as well as having kidney function checked during routine visits, especially for individuals who are at risk for CKD or have diabetes.
Chronic kidney disease can be managed. People with CKD can take measures to slow its progression, including:
Healthy People 2030 has several objectives related to chronic kidney disease, including:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Chronic Kidney Disease in the United States, 2023.” Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2023. https://www.cdc.gov/kidney-disease/php/data-research/.
United States Renal Data System. “Chronic Kidney Disease: Healthcare Expenditures for Persons with CKD.” In 2022 USRDS Annual Data Report: Epidemiology of Kidney Disease in the United States, Chapter 6. Bethesda, MD: National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, 2022. https://adr.usrds.org/2022/chronic-kidney-disease/6-healthcare-expenditures-for-persons-with-ckd.
America’s Health Rankings builds on the work of the United Health Foundation to draw attention to public health and better understand the health of various populations. Our platform provides relevant information that policymakers, public health officials, advocates and leaders can use to effect change in their communities.
We have developed detailed analyses on the health of key populations in the country, including women and children, seniors and those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces, in addition to a deep dive into health disparities across the country.
