Patient perception of risk factors associated with chronic kidney disease morbidity and mortality.

BACKGROUND

Educational interventions aimed at empowering patients are successful in chronic disease management. The purpose of this study was to assess patient knowledge of risk factors and complications associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

METHODS

We determined the perception of risk factors for CKD and its complications in 229 participants with a diagnosis of CKD stage 3 and 4 who completed an anonymous questionnaire. We evaluated predictors of better knowledge as measured by total correct responses using linear regression.

RESULTS

The majority (89.1%) but not all of participants were aware of their diagnosis of CKD. Almost a third (31.5%) of patients that were aware of a diagnosis of CKD did not know their serum creatinine level compared to only 15.4% of participants with diabetes who did not know their last serum glucose level. Most participants identified hypertension (92.1%) and diabetes (86%) as risk factors for CKD, but male sex (59%) and African American race (71.6%) were selected less frequently. While glucose, proteinuria and blood pressure control were commonly associated by participants as known methods to slow progression of CKD, smoking control (79.5%) and use of renin-angiotensin system inhibitors (63.8%) were less known. After adjustment for sociodemographic factors, younger age and presence of a college degree were the only independent predictors of knowledge of CKD risk factors.

CONCLUSIONS

Access to CKD education needs to be tailored to the health literacy status of each patient. Educational interventional research studies are needed in early-stage CKD to determine impact on clinical outcomes.