Community-Based Screening for Unmet Social Needs and Kidney Disease Risk Factors: Findings from the DECK Pilot Observational Study.

Social determinants of health (SDOH) significantly influence the risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD), particularly in underserved populations. The Designing Equitable Care for Kidneys (DECK) study examined the relationship between CKD risk and unmet SDOH in Richmond, Virginia's East End, a historically redlined area with high social vulnerability. Among 61 participants, CKD awareness was moderate (mean score = 71%), and 36% recognized the disease as preventable. Substantial unmet social needs were reported in financial and social domains. Stratified analysis revealed nuanced associations between social needs and CKD risk: participants with mild social needs were most frequently categorized as having moderate CKD risk (19.7%), while those with moderate needs exhibited the highest prevalence of moderate (24.6%) and high (9.8%) CKD risk. These findings underscore the need for integrated interventions targeting clinical and social factors to address kidney health disparities in vulnerable populations.