Kidney Health of Indigenous Children: Insights from Australia, Aotearoa New Zealand, and Canada

Abstract

Purpose of Review This review seeks to highlight the common and unique factors that impact the kidney health of Indigenous children in Australia, Aotearoa New Zealand, and Canada with a particular interest on efforts to improve their kidney health outcomes and the framework to pursue future efforts. Recent Findings In the period since the adoption of the United Nations (UN) Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People (UNDRIP) there has been a number of studies documenting poorer renal health outcomes and potential causes amongst Indigenous paediatric populations in Australia, Aotearoa New Zealand, and Canada. There is a shortage of studies that look at interventions to improve these outcomes. Summary Poorer kidney health outcomes amongst Indigenous children are rarely genetic and appear to be more related to societal inequities. Reported efforts to improve outcomes are few but have demonstrated the ability to make change and with sustained focus on reducing inequities there is hope to improve the renal health of Indigenous children.