OBJECTIVE

The objective is to determine the prevalence of kidney disease (KD) risk factors and their knowledge among Nigerians aged 15-64 living in the Mainland and Island metropolitan districts of Lagos State, South West Nigeria.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 1171 respondents between 15 and 64 years of age were recruited for the measurements of prevalence and knowledge of KD risk factors using a structured questionnaire. Descriptive, bivariate, and logistic regression statistical analyses were employed.

RESULTS

The respondents' mean age was 33.83 ± 11.54, with a male-to-female ratio of 0.54:0.46. Respondents without KD have lower knowledge of KD risk factors (38.26; 37.27‒39.25) than those with KD (45.00; 38.84‒50.16) with an overall knowledge score of 38.39 (37.41‒39.36). The prevalent risk factors include indiscriminate use of analgesics and frequent use of traditional remedies (P < 0.05). Knowledge predictors of KD risk factors among respondents were older age (≥30 years) (with KD-Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) 1.06: 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.82‒1.98; without KD-AOR 2.10: 95% CI: 1.52‒2.25) and chronic ailments (with KD-AOR 1.51: 95% CI: 0.28‒2.93; without KD-AOR 3.03: 95% CI: 0.04‒7.49).

CONCLUSION

The study revealed a lower knowledge of KD risk factors exists in respondents without KD, but the prevalence of risk factors was higher among both cohorts of respondents. Therefore, concerted efforts should be made to sensitize strategic public health programs to expand accurate and adequate awareness and understanding of KD risk factors and their implications for well-being, and to possibly avoid the risk of the disease later in life.