Pediatric nephrology has a history rooted in pediatric advocacy and has made numerous contributions to child health policy affecting pediatric kidney diseases. Despite this progress, profound social disparities remain for marginalized and socially vulnerable children with kidney disease. Different risk factors, such as genetic predisposition, environmental factors, social risk factors, or health care access influence the emergence and progression of pediatric kidney disease, as well as access to life-saving interventions, leading to disparate outcomes. This review will summarize the breadth of literature on social determinants of health in children with kidney disease worldwide and highlight policy-based initiatives that mitigate the adverse social factors to generate greater equity in pediatric kidney disease.
Keywords: Advocacy; Health disparities; Marginalized populations; Policy.