Abstract:
Tinker Research Grant recipient Carlos Martinez presents his findings on the reasons behind the staggering prevalence of chronic kidney disease in Central America.
In Chichigalpa, Nicaragua, everyone knows their creatinine level. Or at least it seems that way. Creatinine blood tests are used to measure the state of a patient’s kidneys. Too much creatinine in the blood — anything above 2.0 milligrams per deciliter — is an indication that the kidneys are seriously impaired. When I began meeting people in Chichigalpa for my research in the summer of 2017, they often introduced themselves to me with their creatinine level — without any solicitation on my part — as if it were their last name.
Publication date:
August 16, 2017
Publication type:
Berkeley Review of Latin American Studies Article
