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Age at Immigration and Kidney Function among Self-Identified Healthy Africans in the United States

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Abstract

Kidney disease disparately affects those of African descent. Age trends have generally been established for kidney function in the overall US population, but the contribution of age at the time of immigration for African immigrants is unknown. To examine the independent and joint effects of age and age at the time of immigration, and kidney function. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was calculated for 93 African immigrants (60 % male; mean age = 33.5). Hierarchical regression and post hoc analyses revealed a significant age × age at the time of immigration interaction after accounting for traditional risk factors among those who immigrated at age ≤21. Younger age at the time of immigration to the US may exacerbate an inverse relationship between age and kidney function in a self-identified healthy African immigrant sample. Investigation of biopsychosocial factors associated with kidney health among African immigrants is warranted.

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Acknowledgments

Madia Ricks and Anne E. Sumner were supported by the Intramural Program of NIDDK, NIH.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Howard University, 525 Bryant St., N.W., Room N-179, CB Powell Building, Washington, DC, 20059, USA

    Mana Ali & Denée T. Mwendwa

  2. School of Nursing, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA

    Regina Sims

  3. Diabetes, Endocrinology and Obesity Branch, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Bethesda, MD, USA

    Madia Ricks & Anne E. Sumner

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  1. Mana Ali
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  2. Denée T. Mwendwa
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  3. Regina Sims
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  5. Anne E. Sumner
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Correspondence to Mana Ali.

Appendix A

Appendix A

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Table 4 Frequencies of African country of birth
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Ali, M., Mwendwa, D.T., Sims, R. et al. Age at Immigration and Kidney Function among Self-Identified Healthy Africans in the United States. J Immigrant Minority Health 18, 194–201 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-014-0138-0

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