Knowledge and Perceived Susceptibility to Chronic Kidney Disease Paper Example

Introduction

CKD is one of the main long-term medical conditions associated with the damage to the kidneys. While Boulware et al (2009) argued that early recognition of the chronic kidneys diseases is the most important first step to remedying the condition; people are not aware or have limited knowledge about the CKD. Clarke et al (2016) stated that raising awareness is the most important strategy since limited knowledge of the chronic kidney diseases is one of the main factors that have contributed to the prevalence of the disease (Plantinga, Tuot and Powe, 2010). According to Spry (2008) promoting the national public health awareness programs can be an effective way to create awareness and encourage people to seek medical screening and early intervention.

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Not Many people are aware of the perceived risk of the CKD because they do not go for screening. The limited knowledge about the prevalence and the risks of CKD can be attributed to poor public health awareness of the disease (Yamamoto, 2010). There are many countries where the laboratory estimated glomerular filtration rate (EGFR) testing and reporting are limited leading to the underreporting and thus lack of focus on the disease. The low perceived risk and susceptibility to the chronic kidney disease is because of poor awareness (Hu et al., 2018). Many governments have failed to raise clinical awareness because there are no adequate and risible data on the prevalence of the disease (Patel, Ferris, and Rack, 2016). The early recognition of the CKD and early intervention can help in preventing progressive kidney impairment and consequently renal replacement therapy that are most expansive (Watnick, 2007). The patient can prepare for these two if the condition is recognized early. In most cases, the real recognition can trigger early intervention to reduce or prevent progression and cardiovascular disease (Tuot and Boulware, 2017). There are two main antihypertensive drugs that can act on the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone systems. These include the Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEi) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB). These two drugs can be initiated in case the CKD is diagnosed in the early stages of development and they have the potential to improve the renal outcomes and the survival rates of people renal impairment and CKD

An assessment of knowledge about CKD in young adults

Not many young adults knew about the CKD because of poor health educational, health awareness. Not many people who are diagnosed with the CKD have the opportunity or the platform to raise awareness about the condition because there are no proper structures or platform for such awareness campaigns (Muhammad and Sen, 2014). Chronic kidney disease among the young adults is associated with disenfranchisement, the perception of helplessness and feelings of disability and powerlessness makes many feel stigmatized in the event that they learn about their condition of the CKD (Clarke et al., 2016). Most people cannot cope effectively with the condition and the feeling make them fear communicating to the public the risk factors and the factors that contributed to their medical condition (Chavers and Parekh, 2005; Cook, 2009; Eddy, 2005). The fact that not many people go for screening and testing means that not many people seek medical help or report their condition leading to lower prevalence rates (Goldstein and Devarajan, 2008; Heiwe and Jacobson, 2011; Holley, 2007). Most people seek online support over the social media but did not use the social media to use awareness of the same because they believe that the social media provides advantages over the standard forms of educational and patient engagement (Boulware et al., 2009; Khrone, 2017).

Most people are not aware of the CKD because the conventional channels used for mass education are not effective in the internet age. Clinical should be more engaged in the patient-led initiatives to get a better understanding of the perception and feelings of the people with CKD (Mehrotra, 2006). The internet especially the social media is one of the most effective ways to understand, teach and empower the people with CKD to share their experiences and raise awareness (Kim et al., 2016). The social m media can be effective in positively influencing the young adults and their parents to create awareness, gather resource and support the people (Leventhal and Liu, 2015). It is also the most effective way to educate the young adults to go for screening and seek early intervention (Eddy, 2005; Kim, Lee, Yoo, Boo, and Kang, 2016).

The perceived susceptibility to CKD in young adults

According to Boulware, (2009) who conducted research on the Perceived Susceptibility To Chronic Kidney Disease Among High-Risk Patients Seen In Primary Care Practices, the patient's views tend to be poorly characterized. Most patients have a poor understanding of the risk for the development of CKD and the progression of the same (Muhammad and Sen, 2014). The young adults both patient not non-patient are under-informed about their risks as well as the risk factors for the development of the CKD and the progression of the CKD. Boulware, (2009) assessed the independent precision of the CKD such as the sociodemographics, health literacy, clinical presence of CKD, co-morbid conditions, and health behaviors as they are the main predictors of the perceived susceptibility. They found that only the whites were very concerned about the CKD development and progression (Ellam, 2015; Patel, Ferris, and Rak, 2016; Plantinga, Tuot, and Powe, 2010). On the other hand, only African American (63%) population registered average perceived susceptibility. On the other hand, Cook (2009) also argued that female patients with low health literacy tend to have lower perceived susceptibility to chronic kidney disease as compared to their male counterparts. There were racial disparities in the perceived susceptibility to CKD as the whites had higher perceived susceptibility to CKD as compared to the minority groups and this can be attributed to the low health literacy (Diaz-Gonzalez de Ferris et al., 2017; Neugarten and Golestaneh, 2013). In conclusion, most of the high-risk patients tend to have a low perceived susceptibility to CKD as compared to low-risk patients. Therefore, intervention tailored to the patient perceptions of the CKD risk could affect the adherence to the health outcome and therapies (Boulware, Carson, Troll, Powe, and Cooper, 2009; Chavers, and Parekh, 2005; Clarke, Yates, Smith, and Chicot, 2016; Cook, 2009).

The prevalence of chronic kidney disease among young adult

Currently, over 30 million people (15%) of the young adults in the United States have CKD. However, out of those 30 million people, 48% of them have experienced severely reduced kidney function but are not currently on dialysis because they are not aware that they have CKD. Additionally, it is also estimated that almost 96% of the people with reduced kidney fiction are not aware they have CKD, which is attributed to poor knowledge about the risk factors, symptoms, progression as well as other components of the CKD. CKD is also more prevalent among the young adult women than men (16% and 13% respectively). On the other hand, CDC (2018), reports that CKD also had a racial disparity, as it is prevalent among the young non-Hispanic blacks than the non-Hispanic whites (18% and 13% respectively). Finally, among the racial groups, 15% of the Hispanics have been diagnosed and estimated to have CKD. As at 2014, 118,000 Americans were treated for early stage (Anupama and Uma, 2014)

The predisposing factors to CKD among young adults

Early intervention in CKD can only be successful if the individual with an increased risk of renal disease is identified. Some of the most important risk factors include the young adult's genetic makeup and phenotypes (Agarwal, 2008). Race, age, gender, and family history are a major contributor as the Hispanics have increased risks of CKD. In terms of gender, women are at elevated risk of CKD as compared to men (Demir et al., 2016; Kazancioglu, 2013). CKD is also prevalent among the adults than hidden. Young adults of African American decent, older aged and those who had low birth weight are at higher risk of developing CKD in their adult life as compared to the others (Khalid, 2012). Other lifestyles factors such as smoking, obesity, hypertension as well as diabetes contribute to the risk of CKD and progression which makes the adults engaged in these habits or having these problems at more risk of CKD (Kohlhagen and Kelly, 2008; Leal and Soto, 2008; Madore, 2008).'

Among the diabetic, the uncontrolled smoking, and excessive consumption of alcohol and the long-term use of analgesic medication contribute to the risk of CKD (Marley and Metzger, 2015). The diabetes mellitus patients are at higher risk especially the young adults aged between 18 years and 40 years. These adults with impaired glucose tolerances or poor fasting glucose tend to be at higher risk for CKD (McMahon, 2008). The frequency of risk factors of chronic kidney disease includes obesity (12%) of the subjects followed by proteinuria and glycosuria11percentage, hypertension 20% and hyperglycemia 4% (Menon, Gul, and Sarnak, 2005). In young adults, exposure to heavy metals as well as acute kidney injury also leads to CKD. On the other hand, the patient with a history of CVD, hyperlipidemia, metabolic syndrome, hepatitis C virus, HIV infection, and malignancy also contribute to CKD (Yamagata, 2007)

References

Boulware, L., Carson, K., Troll, M., Powe, N., and Cooper, L. (2009). Perceived Susceptibility to Chronic Kidney Disease among High-risk Patients Seen in Primary Care Practices. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 24(10), pp.1123-1129.

CDC (2009). An overview of chronic kidney disease in Australia, 2009. 7th ed. Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.

Chavers, B. and Parekh, R. (2005). Getting Serious About Pediatric Chronic Kidney Disease. Advances in Chronic Kidney Disease, 12(4), pp.341-342.

Clarke, A., Yates, T., Smith, A. and Chilcot, J. (2016). Patient's perceptions of chronic kidney disease and their association with psychosocial and clinical outcomes: a narrative review. Clinical Kidney Journal, 9(3), pp.494-502.

Cook, W. (2009). The Intersection of Geriatrics and Chronic Kidney Disease: Frailty and Disability Among Older Adults With Kidney Disease. Advances in Chronic Kidney Disease, 16(6), pp.420-429.

Diaz-Gonzalez de Ferris, M., Del Villar-Vilchis, M., Guerrero, R., Barajas-Valencia, V., Vander-Schaaf, E., de Pomposo, A., Medeiros, M., Rak, E., Cantu-Quintanilla, G., Raina, R. and Alvarez-Elias, A. (2017). Self-Management and Health Care Transition Among Adolescents and Young Adults With Chronic Kidney Disease: Medical and Psychosocial Considerations. Advances in Chronic Kidney Disease, 24(6), pp.405-409.

Eddy, A. (2005). Progression in Chronic Kidney Disease. Advances in Chronic Kidney Disease, 12(4), pp.353-365.

Ellam, T. (2015). CHRONIC DISEASE MANAGEMENT MULTIPLE GERIATRIC CONDITIONS IN OLDER ADULTS WITH CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE. The Gerontologist, 55(Suppl_2), pp.70-70.

Goldstein, S. and Devarajan, P. (2008). Progression From Acute Kidney Injury to Chronic Kidney Disease: A Pediatric Perspective. Advances in Chronic Kidney Disease, 15(3), pp.278-283.

Heiwe, S. and Jacobson, S. (2011). Exercise training for adults with chronic kidney disease. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.

Holley, J. (2007). Pregnancy and Chronic Kidney Disease. Advances in Chronic Kidney Disease, 14(2), p.115.

Hu, X., Sang, Y., Yang, M., Chen, X. and Tang, W. (2018). Prevalence of chronic kidneydisease-associated pruritus among adult dialysis patients. Medicine, 97(21),...