Chronic kidney disease is a critical illness that affects mainly the population older than 50 years. Its complications are rather severe, as they include disability and may even lead to lethal outcomes (Thomas, Kanso, & Sedor, 2008). Because of the chronic kidney disease, the quality of people’s lives worsens greatly not only due to physical problems but also due to the increased expenditures on healthcare services and medications. This illness attracts attention because of the enormous influence on people’s lives, expensive treatment, and connection with such critical disease as diabetes. Moreover, very often, the treatment interventions require transplantation, which cannot be maintained due to the lack of available organs (Healthy People, 2016).
According to the survey that was conducted in 2014, 4.5 million adults suffer from this disease in the US. It equals to almost 2% of the whole adult population, both males and females (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2016).
Moreover, even though this illness can occur in isolation, it is often perceived along with other chronic diseases. For example, the research conducted by Fraser et al. (2015) showed that almost 90% of the sample suffers from hypertension. Such results tend to be rather expected because of the age of the affected population. Only 30% of the participants were also in chronic pain. Some had anemia and ischemic heart disease. Fewer also suffered from diabetes, which proves that it is not the only cause of chronic kidney disease. Finally, some also have thyroid disorders.
Chronic kidney disease has an enormous influence on the overall health of the nation. Even though it is not an illness that can be easily transmitted, chronic kidney disease becomes more and more frequent. People today are more focused on infectious diseases, and their knowledge about the chronic ones is not good enough. They often fail to visit a doctor in time, which leads to complications and treatment difficulties. Thus, more adults start experiencing the symptoms of this disease.
Their physical state affects psychological one and makes them frustrated. Communicating with them, others also catch such mood, which can lead to depression. As kidney disease often leads to disabilities and death, those who are ill require much care. Providing it, their relatives can neglect their own health, which can have an adverse influence on the overall health of the nation. As the treatment required for chronic kidney disease is rather expensive, the population faces more financial issues. Adults mainly represent extended families, and such issues affect the well-being of all members, as they can afford less (Nugent, Fathima, Feigl, & Chyung, 2011).
Nugent et al. (2011), as well as the professionals who prepared a report for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2016), state that adults of all ages have chronic kidney disease. However, it cannot be denied that those who are older than 50 years comprise the majority of the patients. Considering this illness group, Healthy People 2020 develop a range of goals and objectives that are expected to help professionals to cope with this disease and control it at least to some degree.
They are mainly focused on the reduction of new cases of this chronic disease but not on the treatment of the existing ones because they often lead to permanent consequences. Professionals pay attention to the complications, economic expenditures, and health outcomes. They develop 14 objectives that are focused on the reduction of the number of people with kidney disease, improvement of their knowledge regarding its peculiarities and increase of hospital patients who get all the required treatment (Healthy People, 2016). Moreover, it is critical that attention is paid not only to the kidney disease but also to diabetes, cardiovascular issues, and end-stage renal disease. In this way, different conditions are discussed, and the patients can achieve better health outcomes.
To assess specific illness group, one should prepare a questionnaire for the patients (Chronic kidney disease patient questionnaire, 2012). It can be formed in this way:
- When did you get to know that you have kidney disease?
- What tests were made to diagnose it?
- Were you informed regarding the causes? What were they?
- Have you ever had problems with kidneys before?
- Have you been hospitalized because of this illness?
- Have you had kidney stones or infections?
- Have you had problems with bladder/abdomen/pelvis?
- Have some of your relatives had kidney disease?
- Were you diagnosed with other chronic health problems?
- Do you use any medication to deal with pain or inflammation? What? How often?
- Do you use any other treatment options?
- Do you have hypertension? How long? Do you take any medication to deal with it?
- How often do you check your blood pressure? Do you have an opportunity to do it at home?
- Do you eat salty, canned or processed food? How often?
- Have you had problems with heart? What? When?
- Have you ever been diagnosed with diabetes? When? How was it treated? Do you take medicines now?
- Have you ever been diagnosed with anemia? When? How was it treated? Do you take medicines now?
- Do you have any questions regarding your condition and chronic kidney disease? What are they?
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2016). Kidney disease.
Chronic kidney disease patient questionnaire. (2012). Web.
Fraser, S., Roderick, P., May, C., McIntyre, N., McIntyre, C., Fluck, R.,… Taal, M. (2015). The burden of comorbidity in people with chronic kidney disease stage 3: A cohort study. BMC Nephology, 16(193), 1-11.
Healthy People. (2016). Chronic kidney disease.
Nugent, R., Fathima, S., Feigl, A., & Chyung, D. (2011). The burden of chronic kidney. Nephron Clinical Practice, 118(3), 269-277.
Thomas, R., Kanso, A., & Sedor, J. (2008). Chronic kidney disease and its complications. Primary Care, 35(2), 329.