Chronic Kidney Disease - Women in Massachusetts

Massachusetts

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) 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.

Kidney disease can lead to other health problems, like heart disease. If left untreated, kidney disease can worsen and lead to kidney failure, at which point one will need dialysis or a kidney transplant. Women with chronic kidney disease are at higher risk of pregnancy complications, including high blood pressure, preterm birth and loss of kidney function. 

In 2023, the treatment costs for Medicare beneficiaries with chronic kidney disease were $141.1 billion.

According to America’s Health Rankings analysis, the prevalence of chronic kidney disease is higher among:

• Women ages 35-44 than women ages 18-24. 
• Hispanic women compared with Asian, Black, multiracial or white women.
• Women with less than a high school education compared with college graduates. 
• Women with an annual household income less than $25,000 compared with those who have incomes of $25,000 or more.
• Women who have difficulty with self-care compared with women without a disability.

Recommendations for preventing chronic kidney disease include: losing weight (if overweight or obese), engaging in physical activity, quitting or avoiding smoking, limiting alcohol intake, maintaining a healthy cholesterol range, getting an annual flu shot, eating low-sodium foods, and increasing fruit and vegetable consumption.

Chronic kidney disease can be effectively treated through blood pressure control, working with one’s health care team, adhering to prescribed medications, following a healthy meal plan and finding positive strategies to cope with stress and depression.

Healthy People 2030 has multiple objectives related to chronic kidney disease, including reducing the proportion of adults with chronic kidney disease and increasing the proportion of adults who know they have chronic kidney disease.

United States Renal Data System. “Chronic Kidney Disease Chapter 6: Healthcare Expenditures for Persons with CKD.” In 2025 USRDS Annual Data Report: Epidemiology of Kidney Disease in the United States. Bethesda, MD: National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, 2025. https://usrds-adr.niddk.nih.gov/2025/chronic-kidney-disease/6-healthcare-expenditures-for-persons-with-ckd.