Quick guide:  

There are many reasons why your doctor may test your urine (wee). Learn about the urine tests and which one is best for checking for chronic kidney disease. 

What you need to know:  

A urine test is an essential part of the Kidney Health Check, which also includes a blood test and a blood pressure check.  There are different types of urine test. It’s important to know the difference to make sure you get the right test to monitor your kidneys.  

A urine test tells the doctor if blood or protein is in the urine and how much there is. 

• Urine dipstick: a quick test that is often done at the doctor’s office. If your urine dipstick is positive for blood, bacteria,or protein, the doctor will often order another sample to be sent to the laboratory for testing. The problem is that urine dipsticks are not sensitive enough to find early kidney disease. A normal dipstick does not always mean healthy kidneys. 
• Urine albumin-creatinine ratio (uACR): a urine test that is sent away to a laboratory or processed by a machine to look for protein in the urine. This measures the protein, called albumin, in your urine. If your kidneys are damaged, albumin can leak into your urine. Albumin in your urine is a sign of damage or scarring in the kidneys. 

Walkthrough: What do I need to do for a urine test? 

The uACR test requires you to provide a urine sample. Your doctor will give you clear instructions to collect a urine sample. These typically include: 

• how to collect the sample – be sure to wash your hands before collecting 

• the type of container to use – usually a specimen cup 

• the time of the day to collect the sample – first thing in the morning is often best 

• what part of the urine stream to collect – the start, midstream, or all of it. 

Getting a urine test is an important part of a Kidney Health Check. If you are at risk for kidney disease, be sure to ask your doctor for Kidney Health Check at your next appointment. 

Support:

• Need more help? Join Kidney Health 4 Life and review courses on the treatments for kidney disease 

• Still have questions? Call the Kidney Health 4 Life team: 1800 454 363 (Mon to Fri, 9am to 5pm AEST).  

Key takeaways 

• A urine test for uACR is an important part of a Kidney Health Check.  

• The uACR is a way to measure the amount of albumin in your urine. Albumin in the urine can be an early sign of kidney disease. 

What’s next: 

• Learn if you are at risk for kidney disease: https://kidney.org.au/kidneyrisktest/ 

• Take a short course: Checking for Kidney Disease | Kidney Health 4 Life 

• Check out our factsheet: Asking for a Kidney Health Check – Kidney Health Australia 

Sources:

Albuminuria Factsheet, Navigating tests and procedures factsheet, Urinary tract infections factsheet 

Last updated: 8 May 2026