Patients and their family's knowledge about chronic kidney disease and its treatment

Abstract

This study was developed in the Pediatric Nephrology Ambulatory at the University Hospital of the Federal University of Minas Gerais. Its objective was to evaluate the patients and their family's knowledge about chronic kidney disease (CKD) and its treatment. The study population comprised 75 patients and their families. Data was collected though interview with a patient (or his/her caretaker) older than 12 years of age and capable of answering the questions that dealt with the disease, its symptoms, treatment and diet. The data showed that 54.7% of the informants had poor knowledge about their disease and its treatment. Two conditions were statistically related to this poor knowledge: the age of the people interviewed being that between 12 and 30 years old (OR= 3, 44) and their participation in the Program being less than 5 years (OR= 2, 77). This study showed the necessity of reevaluating the strategies that are being used in educational activities that need to be more adequate to each patient and that should take into consideration their ability to understand the condition and their own experiences with the whole process.