Relationship between Health Literacy and Kidney Function

Exploring Health Literacy and Vascular Access Decision Making: A Scoping Review

One in seven adults in the United States has chronic kidney disease (CKD) and individuals with the most severe form, end stage kidney disease (ESKD), may require renal replacement therapy with hemodialysis. Despite well-established guidelines indicating that arteriovenous access is the preferred type of vascular access for hemodialysis, in 2021, 85.4% of patients initiated dialysis with a CVC. While the reasons for this evidence-practice gap are unclear, health literacy and patient disease-specific knowledge may play an important role. Importantly, 25% of patients with CKD have limited health literacy. While there is an abundance of research regarding the presence of poor health literacy, poor kidney disease-specific knowledge, and their association with health outcomes in patients with CKD, there is currently a paucity of data about the relationship between health literacy, vascular access-specific knowledge, and vascular access outcomes. The aim of this narrative review is to describe the relationship between health literacy, disease-specific knowledge, and vascular access in patients with CKD. A better understanding of health literacy in this population will help inform the development of strategies to assess patient vascular access-specific knowledge and aid in vascular access decision making.

The Effect of Health Literacy on Patient Outcomes in Stage 3b-4 Pre-Dialysis Patients: A Semi-Experimental Study

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of health literacy on patient outcomes in pre-dialysis patients. A semi-experimental study. The study was conducted with 45 intervention and 45 control patients with glomerular filtration rates between 15-44ml/min/1.73m2. The adequate health literacy of the patients in the intervention group increased from 2.2% to 31.1%. Increased health literacy led to a significant decrease in systolic and diastolic blood pressure values and the severity of symptoms. The study showed that increased health literacy in pre-dialysis patients improves patient outcomes. Nursing care is needed in pre-dialysis.

The role of low health literacy in shared treatment decision-making in patients with kidney failure

The classic paternalist medicine in nephrology has been modified to a shared decision-making model that clearly offers a benefit in patients with kidney disease. One of the cornerstones of shared treatment decision in patients with kidney failure is the understanding of kidney disease. As kidney disease is silent until advanced stages and is also an entity with a complex pathophysiology with little knowledge in the general population, its presence and understanding are difficult for most people. Health literacy (HL) plays a crucial role in the care of patients with kidney disease and the shared treatment decision. Limited HL has been associated with inefficient use of health services, non-compliance of medications, worse quality of life and increased mortality. In this review, we will address the importance of low HL in nephrology in terms of diagnosis, measurement, its effect on shared decision-making and how to increase it in people with kidney disease.

Mediating role of learned helplessness' components in the association between health literacy/social support and self-management among maintenance haemodialysis patients in Changsha, China: a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES

To explore the multiple mediating roles of the learned helplessness's core system in the relationship between health literacy/social support and self-management.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional survey design.

SETTING

Changsha, China.

PARTICIPANTS

239 Chinese maintenance haemodialysis (MHD) patients.

METHODS

Two multiple mediator models were constructed based on the COM-B (Capacity, Opportunity, Motivation - Behaviour) model. A total of 239 Chinese MHD patients participated in a cross-sectional study, which included surveys on the Learned Helplessness Scale for MHD patients, Dialysis Knowledge Questionnaire, Social Support Scale and Self-Management Scale for Haemodialysis. The PROCESS macro in SPSS was used for mediated effects analysis.

RESULTS

Helplessness and internality partially mediated the relationship between health literacy/social support and self-management ((β=-0.212, p<0.01; β=0.240, p<0.01)/(β=-0.331, p<0.001; β=0.376, p<0.001)). The mediation effect size was 0.780 (95% CI (0.373 to 1.218)) in the health literacy model, accounting for 45.29% of the total effect, and 0.286 (95% CI (0.207 to 0.377)) in the social support model, accounting for 57.88% of the total effect. The differences in effect sizes for helplessness and internality in the two models were -0.080 (95% CI (-0.374 to 0.216)) and -0.041 (95% CI (-0.127 to 0.043)), respectively.

CONCLUSION

Health literacy/social support directly affects MHD patients' self-management and indirectly affects it by changing learned helplessness, such as increasing internality while reducing helplessness.

Deprivation and chronic kidney disease-a review of the evidence

The relationship between socioeconomic deprivation and health is inequitable. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is an archetypal disease of inequality, being more common amongst those living in deprivation. The prevalence of CKD is rising driven by an increase in lifestyle-related conditions. This narrative review describes deprivation and its association with adverse outcomes in adults with non-dialysis-dependent CKD including disease progression, end-stage kidney disease, cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality. We explore the social determinants of health and individual lifestyle factors to address whether patients with CKD who are socioeconomically deprived have poorer outcomes than those of higher socioeconomic status. We describe whether observed differences in outcomes are associated with income, employment, educational attainment, health literacy, access to healthcare, housing, air pollution, cigarette smoking, alcohol use or aerobic exercise. The impact of socioeconomic deprivation in adults with non-dialysis-dependent CKD is complex, multi-faceted and frequently under-explored within the literature. There is evidence that patients with CKD who are socioeconomically deprived have faster disease progression, higher risk of cardiovascular disease and premature mortality. This appears to be the result of both socioeconomic and individual lifestyle factors. However, there is a paucity of studies and methodological limitations. Extrapolation of findings to different societies and healthcare systems is challenging, however, the disproportionate effect of deprivation in patients with CKD necessitates a call to action. Further empirical study is warranted to establish the true cost of deprivation in CKD to patients and societies.

Associations of health literacy with self-management behaviours and health outcomes in chronic kidney disease: a systematic review

INTRODUCTION

Low health literacy is widely reported in people with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and has been associated with reduced disease self-management, poor health outcomes, increased mortality and poorer quality of life. However, these associations are still not well understood.

METHODS

Electronic-based systematic searches were performed to identify studies examining associations between health literacy and self-management behaviours and/or health outcomes in patients with CKD. A tabular and narrative synthesis of the data was performed. Meta-analysis was not appropriate due to the heterogeneity of study designs and methods.

RESULTS

Searches identified 48 studies that met the inclusion criteria. A total of 41 published articles, six conference abstracts, and one thesis were included. Of the 48 studies, 11 were cohort and 37 were cross-sectional. In total there were 25,671 patients; 16,952 from cohort studies. Median study sample size was 159 (IQR 92-275). Study quality was high (5), moderate (24) and poor (19). Thirteen measures of health literacy were used. Despite the limitations of the available evidence, there appear to be consistent relationships between higher health literacy and favourable self-management behaviours for patients with CKD. Definitive relationships between health literacy and patient outcomes are far less clear and remain incompletely understood.

DISCUSSION

Conclusive evidence describing a causal link between health literacy and patient outcomes remains limited, but for many outcomes, a consistent association is described. In addition to associations with mortality, hospitalisation and clinical events, there were consistent associations between health literacy and favourable self-management behaviours which could support the development of patient education aimed at improving health literacy.

Interventions for improving health literacy in people with chronic kidney disease

BACKGROUND

Low health literacy affects 25% of people with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and is associated with increased morbidity and death. Improving health literacy is a recognised priority, but effective interventions are not clear.

OBJECTIVES

This review looked the benefits and harms of interventions for improving health literacy in people with CKD.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched the Cochrane Kidney and Transplant Register of Studies up to 12 July 2022 through contact with the Information Specialist using search terms relevant to this review. Studies in the Register are identified through searches of CENTRAL, MEDLINE, and EMBASE, conference proceedings, the International Clinical Trials Register (ICTRP) Search Portal and ClinicalTrials.gov. We also searched MEDLINE (OVID) and EMBASE (OVID) for non-randomised studies.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and non-randomised studies that assessed interventions aimed at improving health literacy in people with CKD.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two authors independently assessed studies for eligibility and performed risk of bias analysis. We classified studies as either interventions aimed at improving aspects of health literacy or interventions targeting a population of people with poor health literacy. The interventions were further sub-classified in terms of the type of intervention (educational, self-management training, or educational with self-management training). Results were expressed as mean difference (MD) or standardised mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) for continuous outcomes and risk ratios (RR) with 95% CI for dichotomous outcomes.

MAIN RESULTS

We identified 120 studies (21,149 participants) which aimed to improve health literacy. There were 107 RCTs and 13 non-randomised studies. No studies targeted low literacy populations. For the RCTs, selection bias was low or unclear in 94% of studies, performance bias was high in 86% of studies, detection bias was high in 86% of studies reporting subjective outcomes and low in 93% of studies reporting objective outcomes. Attrition and other biases were low or unclear in 86% and 78% of studies, respectively. Compared to usual care, low certainty evidence showed educational interventions may increase kidney-related knowledge (14 RCTs, 2632 participants: SMD 0.99, 95% CI 0.69 to 1.32; I² = 94%). Data for self-care, self-efficacy, quality of life (QoL), death, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and hospitalisations could not be pooled or was not reported. Compared to usual care, low-certainty evidence showed self-management interventions may improve self-efficacy (5 RCTs, 417 participants: SMD 0.58, 95% CI 0.13 to 1.03; I² = 74%) and QoL physical component score (3 RCTs, 131 participants: MD 4.02, 95% CI 1.09 to 6.94; I² = 0%). There was moderate-certainty evidence that self-management interventions probably did not slow the decline in eGFR after one year (3 RCTs, 855 participants: MD 1.53 mL/min/1.73 m², 95% CI -1.41 to 4.46; I² = 33%). Data for knowledge, self-care behaviour, death and hospitalisations could not be pooled or was not reported. Compared to usual care, low-certainty evidence showed educational with self-management interventions may increase knowledge (15 RCTs, 2185 participants: SMD 0.65, 95% CI 0.36 to 0.93; I² = 90%), improve self-care behaviour scores (4 RCTs, 913 participants: SMD 0.91, 95% CI 0.00 to 1.82; I² =97%), self-efficacy (8 RCTs, 687 participants: SMD 0.50, 95% CI 0.10 to 0.89; I² = 82%), improve QoL physical component score (3 RCTs, 2771 participants: MD 2.56, 95% CI 1.73 to 3.38; I² = 0%) and may make little or no difference to slowing the decline of eGFR (4 RCTs, 618 participants: MD 4.28 mL/min/1.73 m², 95% CI -0.03 to 8.85; I² = 43%). Moderate-certainty evidence shows educational with self-management interventions probably decreases the risk of death (any cause) (4 RCTs, 2801 participants: RR 0.73, 95% CI 0.53 to 1.02; I² = 0%). Data for hospitalisation could not be pooled.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

Interventions to improve aspects of health literacy are a very broad category, including educational interventions, self-management interventions and educational with self-management interventions. Overall, this type of health literacy intervention is probably beneficial in this cohort however, due to methodological limitations and high heterogeneity in interventions and outcomes, the evidence is of low certainty.

Factors associated with self-care behavior in patients with pre-dialysis or dialysis-dependent chronic kidney disease

Self-care behavior plays a pivotal role in the management of chronic kidney disease. Improved self-care behavior in patients with chronic kidney disease is a key factor in health management and treatment adherence. This study aimed to evaluate the participants’ general and medical condition-related characteristics, physiological indices and the level of health literacy affecting self-care behavior in patients with chronic kidney disease in South Korea. The data of 278 participants were analyzed using t-test, analysis of variance, correlation coefficient, and linear multiple regression analysis. There were significant differences in self-care behavior scores depending on participants’ age and cohabitation status, employment, and smoking status as well as having dialysis due to end-stage kidney disease; number of comorbidities; levels of serum hemoglobin, calcium, and creatinine; and estimated glomerular filtration rate. The results of regression analysis revealed that not currently working, non-smoker, end-stage kidney disease, and positive response to the “actively managing my health” scale of the Health Literacy Questionnaire significantly affected self-care behavior in patients with chronic kidney disease, and the explanatory power of the model was 32.7%. Therefore, it is necessary to identify each patient’s barriers or needs according to individual characteristics, such as age, cohabitation and employment status, and daily life circumstances, including smoking habits, comorbidities, social support, and level of health literacy to develop efficient support strategies for promoting adequate self-care behavior with CKD.

The Relationship Between Health Literacy and Outcomes Before and After Kidney Transplantation

Limited health literacy (HL) is associated with decreased kidney function and death in patients with chronic kidney disease. Less is known about the impact of HL on kidney transplant (KT) outcomes. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between HL and KT outcomes, including rates of waitlisting, healthcare utilization, acute rejection, renal allograft function, renal allograft failure, and death.

Methods

We performed a retrospective review of HL data previously collected at our center. HL was assessed in a convenience sample of consecutive, English-speaking patients age ≥18 y who were evaluated for KT at Mayo Clinic in Minnesota between June 2015 and March 2017 as part of a practice improvement feasibility project (n = 690). HL was assessed using the 4-item Brief Health Literacy Screening Tool modified for the outpatient KT evaluation process. The 4 items assess confidence completing forms, reading comprehension, and oral literacy.

Results

Overall, 30.4% of patients had limited or marginal HL. Patients with limited or marginal HL were less likely than those with adequate HL to be waitlisted for KT (hazard ratio = 0.62 and 0.69, respectively), even after adjusting for age, marital status, body mass index, Charlson comorbidity index, or dialysis dependency. Patient HL was not associated with post-KT healthcare utilization, acute rejection, or renal allograft function. Patients with limited or marginal HL appeared to experience a higher risk of renal allograft failure and post-KT death, but the number of events was small, and the relationship was statistically significant only for marginal HL.

Conclusions

Inadequate HL is common in KT candidates and independently associated with decreased waitlisting for KT. We observed no statistically significant relationship between HL and posttransplant outcomes in our cohort. Further efforts to improve communication in patients with inadequate HL may improve access to KT.

Health literacy in chronic kidney disease patients: association with self-reported presence of acquaintance with kidney disease, disease burden and frequent contact with health care provider

BACKGROUND

Limited data suggest that health literacy (HL) is associated with kidney functions and clinical outcomes in patients with non-dialysis chronic kidney disease (CKD). We aimed to identify factors associated with the level of HL in a CKD population that has not been studied previously.

METHODS

Patients with stage I-V (non-dialysis) CKD according to the Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative classification were enrolled in the study from two tertiary healthcare centers. Data were collected cross-sectionally using the European Health Literacy Survey (HLS-EU).

RESULTS

Data of 208 participants were analyzed. HLS-EU scores had the highest correlations with age (r = - 0.494, p = 0.0001) and education (r = 0.476, p = 0.0001). Estimated glomerular filtration rate (e-GFR) was significantly correlated with HLS-EU score (r = 0.186, p = 0.01). Presence of a self-reported acquaintance with any kind of kidney disease was associated with higher HL. On the other hand, participants with multiple comorbidities, and therefore with more frequent contact with the health system, had lower HL than those without such frequent contact. Similarly, those with a high disease burden had lower HL than those without. HLS-EU scores were also significantly associated with gender, marital status, occupational status, self-perception of health, restriction of daily activities, participation in social activities, place of residence, blood pressure, body mass index, and serum parathyroid hormone and albumin levels.

CONCLUSION

Low HL is prevalent among CKD patients and is associated with e-GFR. Presence of an acquaintance with any kind of kidney disease is positively associated with HL. Presence of multiple comorbidities might be a limiting factor for the improvement of HL, which might also be expected to improve as a result of frequent contact with healthcare providers.

Using Human-Centered Design Principles to Create a Decision Aid on Conservative Kidney Management for Advanced Kidney Disease

Background

Most patients are unaware of approaches to treating advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) other than dialysis.

Methods

We developed a dedicated decision aid on conservative kidney management using human-centered design principles in three phases: (1) discovery: engagement of informants to understand their needs and preferences; (2) design: multiple rapid cycles of ideation, prototyping, and testing of a decision aid with a small group of informants; and (3) implementation: testing the decision aid in real-world settings with attention to how the decision aid can be further refined. Informants included a national patient advisory committee on kidney diseases, 50 patients with stage 4 or 5 CKD and 35 of their family members, and 16 clinicians recruited from the greater Seattle area between June 2019 and September 2021.

Results

Findings from the discovery phase informed an initial prototype of the decision aid, which included five sections: a description of kidney disease and its signs and symptoms, an overview of conservative kidney management and the kinds of supports provided, self-reflection exercises to elicit patients' values and goals, the pros and cons of conservative kidney management, and the option of changing one's mind about conservative kidney management. The prototype underwent several rounds of iteration during its design phase, which resulted in the addition of an introductory section describing the intended audience and more detailed information in other sections. Findings from its implementation phase led to the addition of examples of common questions that patients and family members had about conservative kidney management and a final section on other related educational resources.

Conclusions

Human-centered design principles supported a systematic and collaborative approach between researchers, patients, family members, and clinicians for developing a decision aid on conservative kidney management.

Relationship between Health Literacy and Frailty in Older Adults with Chronic Kidney Disease

BACKGROUND

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with an increased risk of frailty, morbidity, and mortality in older adults. Limited health literacy (HL) is a condition that can cause frailty in CKD. Frailty leads to a decreased resistance to stress situations caused by activities of daily living and increased morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between HL and frailty in older adults with stage 4-5 CKD.

METHODS

A total of 109 patients with stage 4-5CKD were included. All patients underwent a comprehensive geriatric assessment. Health literacy was assessed by the Turkish version of the European Health Literacy Questionnaire. Frailty status was measured using the Fried Frailty Index.

RESULTS

The median age was 72 (68-80) years and 72 patients (66.1%) had lowHL. Forty-six patients (42.2%) were frail, and frailty was more common in the low HL group.

CONCLUSION

The present study demonstrated that low HL level was common in geriatric patients with stage 4-5 CKD and was associated with frailty, as well as a decrease in daily and instrumental life activities, decrease in acceptance of illness scale, and compliance with medical treatment.

A longitudinal qualitative study to explore and optimize self-management in mild to end stage chronic kidney disease patients with limited health literacy: Perspectives of patients and health care professionals

OBJECTIVES

Limited health literacy (LHL) is associated with faster kidney deterioration. Health care professionals (HCPs) promote self-management to maintain kidney function, which is difficult for patients with LHL. Evidence lacks on perceived barriers and best strategies to optimize their self-management. Our study aims to explore experiences with and barriers for self-management from the perspectives of LHL patients and HCPs to identify strategies to optimize self-management.

METHODS

We performed a longitudinal qualitative study with semi-structured in-depth interviews and focus group discussions among CKD patients and LHL (n = 24) and HCPs (n = 37) from general practices and hospitals.

RESULTS

Four themes arose among patients: (1) CKD elusiveness, (2) suboptimal intake of knowledge (3) not taking a front-seat role, and (4) maintaining change. Among HCPs, three themes emerged: (1) not recognizing HL problems, (2) lacking effective strategies, and (3) health care barriers.

CONCLUSION

We suggest three routes to optimize self-management: providing earlier information, applying person-centered strategies to maintain changes, and improving competencies of HCPs.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

HCPs need to explain CKD self-management better to prevent kidney deterioration. New interventions, based on behavioral approaches, are needed to optimize self-management. HCPs need training to improve recognition and support of LHL patients.

Co-Creation of a Multi-Component Health Literacy Intervention Targeting Both Patients with Mild to Severe Chronic Kidney Disease and Health Care Professionals

Limited health literacy (LHL) is common in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients and frequently associated with worse self-management. Multi-component interventions targeted at patients and healthcare professionals (HCPs) are recommended, but evidence is limited. Therefore, this study aims to determine the objectives and strategies of such an intervention, and to develop, produce and evaluate it. For this purpose, we included CKD patients with LHL (n = 19), HCPs (n = 15), educators (n = 3) and students (n = 4) from general practices, nephrology clinics and universities in an Intervention Mapping (IM) process. The determined intervention objectives especially address the patients’ competences in maintaining self-management in the long term, and communication competences of patients and HCPs. Patients preferred visual strategies and strategies supporting discussion of needs and barriers during consultations to written and digital strategies. Moreover, they preferred an individual approach to group meetings. We produced a four-component intervention, consisting of a visually attractive website and topic-based brochures, consultation cards for patients, and training on LHL for HCPs. Evaluation revealed that the intervention was useful, comprehensible and fitting for patients’ needs. Healthcare organizations need to use visual strategies more in patient education, be careful with digitalization and group meetings, and train HCPs to improve care for patients with LHL. Large-scale research on the effectiveness of similar HL interventions is needed.

Stakeholder-Guided Development of Dialysis Vascular Access Education Materials

Background

Initiating hemodialysis via an arteriovenous (AV) access is considered best practice for most patients. Despite the well-recognized advantages of AV access, 80% of US patients start hemodialysis with a catheter. Limited patient knowledge about vascular access, among other factors, may play a role in this high rate. We used iterative stakeholder input to develop novel, mixed media vascular access education materials and evaluated their preliminary acceptability.

Methods

We conducted preliminary focus groups and interviews with key stakeholders to assess patient vascular access understanding and elicit perspectives on existing education materials. We then used stakeholder input to inform initial development and iterative updates to the content and design of an animated video and complementary brochure. Video development (scripting, storyboarding, animation) was guided by an evidence-based framework and two health behavior change models. We assessed acceptability of the completed materials with patients and medical providers/personnel via interviews.

Results

Overall, 105 stakeholders participated in education materials development and review (80 patients/care partners, 25 medical providers/personnel). Preliminary qualitative work included 52 patients/care partners and 16 providers/personnel; video development included 28 patients/care partners and nine providers/personnel. The video script, storyboards, and animation underwent 14, four, and nine stakeholder-guided iterations, respectively. Responsive changes included aesthetic modifications, technical updates, and content additions (e.g., HD circuit, access self-monitoring, enhanced patient testimonials). The final 18-minute video and complementary brochure define vascular access types, describe care processes, outline potential complications, and address common patient concerns. Interviews with 28 patients/care partners and nine providers/personnel from diverse geographic regions revealed preliminary acceptability of, and enthusiasm for, the materials by patients and providers.

Conclusions

In collaboration with key stakeholders, we developed mixed media vascular access education materials that were well-received by patients and providers. Preliminary findings suggest that the materials are promising to improve vascular access understanding among patients.

Health Literacy in Glomerulonephritis and Renal Vasculitis Attending Nephrology Clinics

Aims

Glomerulonephritis is one of the leading causes of progressive chronic kidney disease worldwide and treatment requires shared decision-making to improve self-care and plan immunosuppressant therapy. However, information on health literacy (HL) in patients with glomerulonephritis is scanty. We aimed to assess HL in our multiethnic population with glomerulonephritis.

Methods

Single-center cross-sectional study of patients with glomerulonephritis receiving induction immunosuppressants at the ambulatory nephrology clinic and who completed the anonymized self-administered HLS-EU-47 questionnaire. The standardized HL index and domain item mean scores were compared with participant sociodemographic characteristics.

Results

Among 65 patients who attend the clinics over a month, 27 agreed to participate in the survey. After excluding responses with significant missing information, we included 23 participants (16 Chinese, 4 Malay, 2 Indian, and 1 other ethnicity) in the analysis. The median age was 39 (interquartile range 27, 60 years). The median general HL index was 26.2 (19.8, 29.8). The item mean scores were 2.64 (2.43, 2.77), 2.45 (2.09, 2.72), 2.33 (2.17, 2.58), and 2.50 (2.25, 2.75) for the domains of accessing, understanding, appraising, and applying health-care-related information, respectively. Male patients had significantly higher HL indices and higher scores for accessing and appraising health information, while higher personal income was significantly associated with higher score for applying health knowledge.

Conclusion

Patients with glomerulonephritis had lowest HL in the domain of appraising health information. Further research on targeted interventions to improve the HL in appraising treatment options and vaccinations in patients with glomerulonephritis is required.

Low Health Literacy is Associated with the Onset of CKD during the Life Course

BACKGROUND

Health literacy, the ability to deal with information related to one's health, is a predictor of health outcomes in CKD. However, research has not explored whether low health literacy predicts the onset of CKD.

METHODS

We used data from participants of Lifelines, a prospective population-based cohort study of individuals living in The Netherlands, to assess the share of individuals with low health literacy by eGFR category, whether low health literacy is associated with CKD onset in the general population and in the subgroup of older adults, and whether established CKD risk factors mediate this association.

RESULTS

In the total sample of 93,885 adults (mean follow-up 3.9 years), low health literacy was more likely among individuals in worse eGFR categories, increasing from 26.4% in eGFR category 1 to 50.0% in category 5 (P=0.02). Low health literacy, compared with adequate health literacy, was associated with the onset of CKD in the total sample (3.0% versus 2.1%) and in the subgroup of older adults (13.4% versus 11.3%), with odds ratios (ORs) of 1.44 (95% confidence interval (95% CI), 1.31 to 1.59) and 1.21 (95% CI, 1.04 to 1.41), respectively. After adjustment for sex, age, education, and income, health literacy was associated with CKD onset only in older adults (OR, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.04 to 1.50). This association was mediated by hypertension and high body mass index (BMI) in the crude model, but only by BMI after adjustment (with BMI explaining 18.8% of the association).

CONCLUSIONS

Low health literacy is a risk factor for CKD onset among older adults, which suggests that CKD prevention might benefit from strategies to address low health literacy.

The Relationship between Subtypes of Health Literacy and Self-Care Behavior in Chronic Kidney Disease

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a global public health issue that is associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality. Self-care behavior has been associated with clinical outcomes in chronic diseases, and adequate self-care behavior may mitigate adverse outcomes. Health literacy may be an important factor associated with self-care. The aim of this study was to examine the relationships between different domains of self-care behavior and health literacy in patients with CKD. This study enrolled 208 patients with CKD stages 1–5 who were not undergoing renal replacement therapy at Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital from April 2019 to January 2020. Health literacy was measured using a multidimensional health literacy questionnaire covering the following five dimensions: accessing, understanding, appraising, and applying health information, and communication/interaction. The CKD Self-Care scale, which is a 16-item questionnaire with five domains including medication adherence, diet control, exercise, smoking behavior, and home blood pressure monitoring was used to assess self-care behavior. Among the 208 patients, 97 had sufficient or excellent health literacy, and 111 had inadequate or limited/problematic health literacy. A higher health literacy score was significantly correlated with greater self-care behavior. Among the five domains of self-care behavior, the patients who had sufficient or excellent health literacy had higher diet, exercise, and home blood pressure monitoring scores than those who had inadequate or limited/problematic health literacy. This study demonstrated that health literacy was significantly and positively correlated with self-care behavior in patients with CKD.

Translation, Adaptation, and Validation of Chronic Kidney Disease Self-Management and Knowledge Instruments for People at Pre-Dialysis Stage in the Arab World

Knowledge is critical for self- management, however there are no measures available in Arabic to effectively assess knowledge and self-management for chronic kidney disease (CKD). The aim of this study was to translate, culturally adapt, and validate Chronic Kidney Disease Self-Management Instrument-29 (CKD-SM-29) and Kidney Disease Knowledge survey (KiKs) for use by Arabic-speaking health professionals and patients. The study was carried out in two phases: translation and cultural adaptation, and validation. Instruments were translated from English to Arabic then adapted and validated using 203 pre-dialysis CKD patients. Face validity and internal consistency were demonstrated for Arabic versions of CKD-SM-29 and KiKs. Cronbach's α for the CKD-SM-29 was .91 for KiKS was .78. Test-retest revealed good stability over a 1-week period. Intra Class Correlation coefficient for CKD-SM-29 was .90 and was .78 for KiKS. Convergent and discriminative validity were also demonstrated for the translated instruments. The validity and reliability of the Arabic CKD-SM-29 and KiKs were demonstrated. The translated instruments are culturally adapted and will support care of patients with CKD in Arabic-speaking countries.

Assessment of kidney disease knowledge among chronic kidney disease patients in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

BACKGROUND

The persistent global increase in chronic kidney disease (CKD) prevalence highlights the importance of providing patients with sufficient knowledge to allow them to self-manage their disease.

OBJECTIVES

To gain insights into non-dialysis CKD patients' knowledge of their disease, and assess associations between knowledge and sample characteristics.

DESIGN

A descriptive cross-sectional design was undertaken.

PARTICIPANTS

A convenience sample of 203 stages 3-5 CKD patients was recruited.

MEASUREMENTS

The Kidney Disease Knowledge Survey (KiKs) was used.

RESULTS

This study revealed that the mean age of the patients was 47.34 years. 50.2% were male and most (75.9%) were married. The mean score of knowledge (measured using KiKs) relating to kidney disease was 17.87 ± 3.212. The lowest scores were related to knowledge of effects of proteinuria (13.3%), meanings of "glomerular filtration rate" (29.6%) and "targeted blood pressure" (31.5%). Although more than 60% of participants knew about some kidney functions, they misunderstood others, including those related to glucose control (23.6%) and blood pressure (54.7%). Patients displayed knowledge scores >70% for five other areas, including disease stage and time since diagnosis. Almost all participants did not know that chronic kidney disease (CKD) could be asymptomatic. The results showed that late-stage CKD (Stages 4 and 5) and longer time since diagnosis of CKD were independently associated with a higher score of knowledge (r = 0.18, p = 0.017; r = 0.41, p < 0.001; r = 0.26, p = 0.001, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

This study provided initial insights on CKD-related knowledge among patients with Stage 3-5 CKD in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Many gaps in knowledge were identified, especially those relating to blood pressure. More studies are required to fully understand the extent of the knowledge deficit in the wider population; however, these findings will allow nurses to address significant gaps.

How to tackle health literacy problems in chronic kidney disease patients? A systematic review to identify promising intervention targets and strategies

BACKGROUND

Limited health literacy (LHL) is associated with multiple adverse health outcomes in chronic kidney disease (CKD). Interventions are needed to improve this situation, but evidence on intervention targets and strategies is lacking. This systematic review aims to identify potential targets and strategies by summarizing the evidence on: (i) patient- and system-level factors potentially mediating the relation between LHL and health outcomes; and (ii) the effectiveness of health literacy interventions customized to CKD patients.

METHODS

We performed a systematic review of peer-reviewed research articles in Medline, Embase and Web of Science, 2009-19. We assessed the quality of the studies and conducted a best-evidence synthesis.

RESULTS

We identified 860 publications and included 48 studies. Most studies were of low quality (n = 26) and focused on dialysis and transplantation (n = 38). We found strong evidence for an association of LHL with smoking and having a suboptimal transplantation process. Evidence was weak for associations between LHL and a variety of factors related to self-care management (n = 25), utilization of care (n = 23), patient-provider interaction (n = 8) and social context (n = 5). Six interventions were aimed at improving knowledge, decision-making and health behaviours, but evidence for their effectiveness was weak.

CONCLUSIONS

Study heterogeneity, low quality and focus on kidney failure largely impede the identification of intervention targets and strategies for LHL. More and higher quality studies in earlier CKD stages are needed to unravel how LHL leads to worse health outcomes, and to identify targets and strategies to prevent disease deterioration. Healthcare organizations need to develop and evaluate efforts to support LHL patients.

Fact-finding survey on health literacy among Japanese predialysis chronic kidney disease patients: a multi-institutional cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Low health literacy (HL) has been associated with poor chronic disease management and adverse outcomes. However, reports on HL in predialysis chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients are limited in Japan.

METHODS

From August 2019 to February 2020, the European Health Literacy Survey (Japanese version) and a patient background survey (highest level of education, income, social activities, and exercise habit) were conducted on adult predialysis CKD patients. We compared clinical parameters in two groups according to the average HL score of a healthy Japanese population. In addition, a median value of 42 items was used as a cutoff for extracting CKD patient background factors associated with HL since HLS-EU-Q47 included five items related to physical activity and exercise.

RESULTS

Valid responses were received from 200 patients. Median general HL index was 25.2 points. The high-HL group (≥ 25.3 points) showed a low proportion of male (56.7% vs. 70.9%, p = 0.038), high social activities (69.1% vs. 48.5%, p = 0.003), and high exercise habit (36.1% vs. 13.6%, p < 0.001). In the multivariate analysis, social activity [OR (95% CI); 2.12 (1.16-3.89), p = 0.015] and exercise habit [OR (95% CI); 2.39 (1.16-4.90), p = 0.018] were extracted as the only significant variable.

CONCLUSIONS

HL in Japanese predialysis CKD patients was associated with high social activity and exercise habit.

Exploring health literacy in patients with chronic kidney disease: a qualitative study

Background

Patients with chronic kidney disease make day-to-day decisions about how to self-manage their disease. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) includes a risk for progression towards end-stage renal disease and the development of comorbidities, such as cardiovascular disease, which represents the leading cause of death among these patients. To reduce these risks, CKD patients are recommended to follow a healthy lifestyle with physical activity, food and fluid restrictions, and adherence to complex medication regimes throughout all phases of the disease. To manage the complexity of this health situation, health literacy (HL) is considered essential. The current prevailing understanding is that HL is a multidimensional concept and comprises a range of cognitive, affective, social, and personal skills that determine the motivation and ability to gain access to, understand, and use health information. Recently, we investigated multiple aspects of HL in CKD patients in a quantitative cross-sectional study utilizing the Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ) and observed that finding good health information and appraising health information were the most challenging aspects of HL. This study aimed to explore CKD patients’ lived experiences of different dimensions of HL presented in the HLQ.

Methods

This qualitative study utilized in-depth semistructured interviews. Twelve patients with different levels of HL were included. The interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis as described by Braun and Clarke.

Results

We identified three main themes that were significant for CKD patients’ HL: 1. Variation in people’s attitudes and behavior as health information seekers, 2. The problem of fragmented healthcare in the context of multimorbidity makes the healthcare system challenging to navigate, and 3. The value of a good relationship with healthcare providers.

Conclusion

CKD patients take different approaches to health information. Limiting or avoiding health information may be a strategy used by some individuals to cope with the disease and does not necessarily mean that health information is inaccessible or difficult to understand. Comorbidity and a fragmented healthcare system can make the healthcare system challenging to navigate. A good and trusting relationship with healthcare providers seems to promote several aspects of HL and should be promoted to optimize CKD patients’ HL.

Partnering with parents to improve outcomes for substance exposed newborns-a pilot program

OBJECTIVE

Assess impact of parental involvement in care provision for term substance exposed newborns (SENs).

STUDY DESIGN

Prospective observational cohort study included mothers with opioid use disorder and their SENs over 4 year study period. Maternal-Infant dyads enrolled in EMPOWER and rooming-in (RI) programs were included and received care 24/7 in a private room until newborn's discharge. Outcomes were compared for dyads participating in EMPOWER/RI with historical controls.

RESULTS

Ninety of 156 historical SENs were RI eligible, while 49 of 108 SENs born during RI period had mothers enrolled in EMPOWER. EMPOWER/RI SENs had lower rates for and duration of pharmacotherapy, shorter neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and hospital lengths of stay. EMPOWER/RI increased initiation and continuation of breastfeeding at discharge.

CONCLUSIONS

Parental participation was associated with a decrease in initiation and duration of pharmacotherapy, NICU admission, length of stay and hospital charges while increasing breastfeeding initiation and continuation at discharge.

A cross-sectional study of health literacy in patients with chronic kidney disease: Associations with demographic and clinical variables

AIM

The aim of this study was to investigate health literacy in patients with chronic kidney disease in a multidimensional perspective.

DESIGN

A descriptive, cross-sectional study.

METHODS

Patients with chronic kidney disease at stages 3-5 were included in the study between February-August 2017 (N = 187). Health literacy was measured by the Health Literacy Questionnaire (HLQ). Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to identify associations between health literacy and demographic and clinical variables. Hierarchical cluster analysis was performed to identify characteristics of groups with high and low health literacy.

RESULTS

Finding and critical appraise health information were the most challenging dimensions of health literacy. Female gender, lower level of education, greater number of prescribed medications and depressive symptoms were associated with lower health literacy. The group identified with lowest health literacy was further characterized by living alone and presence of comorbidity.

Health literacy and patient outcomes in chronic kidney disease: a systematic review

Background

Limited health literacy affects 25% of people with chronic kidney disease (CKD), and may reduce self-management skills resulting in poorer clinical outcomes. By disproportionately affecting people with low socio-economic status and non-white ethnicity, limited health literacy may promote health inequity.

Methods

We performed a systematic review of quantitative studies of health literacy and clinical outcomes among adults with CKD.

Results

A total of 29 studies (13 articles; 16 conference abstracts) were included. One included non-USA patients. Of the 29 studies, 5 were cohort studies and 24 were cross-sectional. In all, 18 300 patients were studied: 4367 non-dialysis CKD; 13 202 dialysis; 390 transplant; 341 unspecified. Median study size was 127 [interquartile range (IQR) 92-238)], but 480 (IQR 260-2392) for cohort studies. Median proportion of non-white participants was 48% (IQR 17-70%). Six health literacy measures were used. Outcomes included patient attributes, care processes, clinical/laboratory parameters and 'hard' clinical outcomes. Limited health literacy was significantly, independently associated with hospitalizations, emergency department use, missed dialysis sessions, cardiovascular events and mortality (in cohort studies). Study quality was high (1 study), moderate (3 studies) and poor (25 studies), limited by sampling methods, variable adjustment for confounders and reduced methodological detail given in conference abstracts.

Conclusions

There is limited robust evidence of the causal effects of health literacy on patient outcomes in CKD. Available evidence suggests associations with adverse clinical events, increased healthcare use and mortality. Prospective studies are required to determine the causal effects of health literacy on outcomes in CKD patients, and examine the relationships between socio-economic status, comorbidity, health literacy and CKD outcomes. Intervention development and evaluation will determine whether health literacy is a modifiable determinant of poor outcomes in CKD.

Health Literacy Mediates Racial Disparities in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Knowledge among Chronic Kidney Disease Patients

Black patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) receive more cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) than other racial groups, and knowledge of CPR influences preferences for care. As limited health literacy disproportionately affects Blacks and contributes to disparities in end-of-life (EOL) care, we investigated whether health literacy mediates racial disparities in CPR knowledge. Black and White adult patients with advanced CKD completed CPR knowledge surveys. Health literacy was assessed using the Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine. Among 149 patients, Black patients were more likely to have limited health literacy and lower mean CPR knowledge scores than White patients. In adjusted analyses, health literacy mediated racial differences in CPR knowledge. Knowledge of CPR is lower among Black compared with White CKD patients and health literacy is a mediator of this difference. Future CPR educational interventions should target health literacy barriers to improve informed decision-making and decrease racial disparities at the end of life.

Assessment of literacy and numeracy skills related to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug labels

Background:

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are widely used and have a potential for over-the-counter misuse. Limited health literacy is associated with poor health outcomes. Identification of new strategies to assess literacy and numeracy could be useful in targeting effective education initiatives.

Objective:

To characterize numeracy and literacy skills related to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug labels in primary care patients.

Methods:

Patients were recruited and consented over an 8-month period after their regular primary care visit. Demographic information was collected and two instruments were administered to assess literacy and numeracy skills: (1) a medication label literacy instrument focused on non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (MedLit-NSAID) and (2) a general healthy literacy-screening tool, the Newest Vital Sign. Two questions on the MedLit-NSAID instrument evaluated understanding of the Food and Drug Administration medication guide for non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and the Food and Drug Administration approved over-the-counter label.

Results:

A total of 145 patients were enrolled. Mean MedLit-NSAID and Newest Vital Sign scores were 6.8 (scale range 0–8) and 4.2 (scale range 0–6), respectively. Higher education level was associated with higher scores for both tools (p ⩽ 0.05). Total MedLit-NSAID scores on average were higher in females compared with males (6.5 vs 6, p = 0.05). Patients with decreased kidney function (n = 18) had significantly lower MedLit-NSAID scores (p ⩽ 0.05). Test–retest scores were not significantly different for MedLit-NSAID (p = 0.32). The correlation between the tools was 0.54 and internal consistency MedLit-NSAID was 0.61.

Conclusion:

A medication information focused instrument provided specific information to assess health literacy related to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug labels. This information could be utilized to develop patient education initiatives for medication label comprehension.

A Survey Study of Self-Rated Patients' Knowledge About AKI in a Post-Discharge AKI Clinic

BACKGROUND

Survivors of acute kidney injury (AKI) are at risk of adverse outcomes. Post-discharge nephrology care may improve patients' AKI knowledge and prevent post-AKI complications.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to examine patients' awareness about their AKI diagnosis and self-rated knowledge and severity of AKI before and after their first post-discharge AKI Clinic encounter.

DESIGN

We conducted a pre- and post-survey study among AKI survivors who attended a post-discharge AKI Clinic.

SETTING

AKI Clinic at the University of Kentucky Medical Center (October 2016 to December 2017). Education about AKI was based on transformative learning theory and provided through printed materials and interdisciplinary interactions between patients/caregivers and nurses, pharmacists, and nephrologists.

PATIENTS

A total of 104 patients completed the survey and were included in the analysis.

MEASUREMENTS

Three survey questions were administered before and after the first AKI Clinic encounter: Question 1 (yes-no) for awareness, and questions 2 and 3 (Likert scale, 1 = lowest to 5 = highest) for self-rated knowledge and severity of AKI.

METHODS

Two mixed-model analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used for between-group (AKI severity) and within-group (pre- and post-encounter) comparisons. Logistic regression was used to examine parameters associated with the within-group change in self-perceived knowledge.

RESULTS

Twenty-two out of 104 (21%) patients were not aware of their AKI diagnosis before the clinic encounter. Patients' self-ratings of their AKI knowledge significantly increased after the first AKI Clinic encounter (mean ± SEM: pre-visit = 1.94 ± 0.12 to post-visit = 3.88 ± 0.09, P = .001), even after adjustment for age, gender, Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) severity stage, or poverty level. Patients with AKI stage 3 self-rated their AKI as more severe than patients with AKI stage 1 or 2.

LIMITATIONS

Our study population may not be representative of the general AKI survivor population. Administered surveys are subject to response-shift bias.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients' self-perceived knowledge about AKI significantly increased following the first post-discharge AKI Clinic encounter that included interdisciplinary education. This is the first survey study examining self-perceived AKI knowledge in AKI survivors. Further examination of AKI literacy in survivors of AKI and its effect on post-AKI outcomes is needed.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Not applicable.

Instruments used to evaluate functional health literacy in elderly persons with chronic kidney disease: Integrative review

Abstract Objective: To identify the instruments used to evaluate the functional health literacy of elderly persons with chronic kidney disease, and to assess whether they are suitable for this population. Method: An integrative review of the Lilacs, PubMed, Ibecs, Scopus and Cochrane databases was carried out in July and August 2018, seeking original articles dealing with functional health literacy and chronic kidney disease in the elderly. Results: A total of 15 articles were evaluated and seven different instruments used in the research were identified, with the Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine (REALM) and Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (TOFHLA) the most prevalent. Conclusion: The instruments identified are applicable for the elderly, but are not specific for this population. The construction and/or adaptation of new instruments is suggested considering the specific characteristics of this age group.

Association Between Health Literacy, eHealth Literacy, and Health Outcomes Among Patients With Long-Term Conditions

Abstract. The objective of this paper is to synthesize and update findings from systematic review on health literacy and health outcomes among patients with long-term conditions, and extend the review to the digital domain. Health outcomes include clinical outcomes, processes of care, and health service use. Data sources are the following: (1) studies which appeared in two previous systematic reviews in 2004 and 2011 whose participants were people with long-term conditions or elderly ( n = 54); (2) articles on health literacy and health outcomes identified in an updated 2011–2016 search ( n = 26); (3) articles on eHealth literacy and its association with health outcomes ( n = 8). Strength of evidence was determined by a qualitative assessment of risk of bias, consistency, and directness. There was a lack of consistent evidence on the relationship between health literacy and clinical outcomes despite the consistent evidence on the association with mortality. There was low to insufficient evidence on the association between health literacy and self-rated health/function and emotional states of anxiety and depression, alongside high evidence on lack of association with quality of life. There was insufficient to low evidence on the association between health literacy and behavioral outcomes (medication adherence, other health behaviors) and finally also low to moderate evidence on the association between health literacy and use of health services such as hospitalization and emergency department. In the eHealth literacy domain, there were few studies reporting association with health behaviors and self-rated health with inconsistent results. In conclusion, it is advocated to examine performed heath literacy and eHealth literacy in large longitudinal studies.

Barriers to Education and Shared Decision Making in the Chronic Kidney Disease Population: A Narrative Review

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Provision of education to inform decision making for renal replacement therapy (RRT) is a key component in the management of chronic kidney disease (CKD), yet patients report suboptimal satisfaction with the process of selecting a dialysis modality. Our purpose is to review the influencers of RRT decision making in the CKD population, which will better inform the process of shared decision making between clinicians and patients.

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

PubMed and Google Scholar.

METHODS

A narrative review was performed using the main terms "chronic kidney disease," "CKD," "dialysis," "review," "decision-making," "decision aids," "education," and "barriers." Only articles in English were accessed. The existing literature was critically analyzed from a theoretical and contextual perspective and thematic analysis was performed.

KEY FINDINGS

Eight common themes were identified as influencers for decision making. "Patient-focused" themes including social influence, values and beliefs, comprehension, autonomy and sociodemographics, and "clinician-focused" themes including screening, communication, and engagement. Early predialysis education and decision aids can effectively improve decision making. Patient-valued outcomes need to be more fully integrated into clinical guidelines.

LIMITATIONS

This is not a systematic review; therefore, no formal tool was utilized to evaluate the rigor and quality of studies included and findings may not be generalizable.

IMPLICATIONS

Standardized comprehensive RRT education programs through multidisciplinary health teams can help optimize CKD patient education and shared decision making. Involving patients in the research process itself and implementing patient values and preferences into clinical guidelines can help to achieve a patient-centered model of care.

Educational Support Around Dialysis Modality Decision Making in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease: Qualitative Study

BACKGROUND

Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are asked to choose a renal replacement therapy or conservative management. Education and knowledge transfer play key roles in this decision-making process, yet they remain a partially met need.

OBJECTIVE

We sought to understand the dialysis modality decision-making process through exploration of the predialysis patient experience to better inform the educational process.

DESIGN

Qualitative descriptive study.

SETTING

Kidney Care Centre of London Health Sciences Centre in London, Ontario, Canada.

PATIENTS

Twelve patients with CKD, with 4 patients on in-center hemodialysis, home hemodialysis, and peritoneal dialysis, respectively.

MEASUREMENTS

Not applicable.

METHODS

We conducted semistructured interviews with each participant, along with any family members who were present. Interviews were transcribed verbatim. Conventional content analysis was used to analyze the transcripts for common themes. Representative quotes were decided via team consensus. A patient collaborator was part of the research team.

RESULTS

Three themes influenced dialysis modality decision making: (i) Patient Factors: individualization, autonomy, and emotions; (ii) Educational Factors: tailored education, time and preparation, and available resources; and (iii) Support Systems: partnership with health care team, and family and friends.

LIMITATIONS

Sample not representative of wider CKD population. Limited number of eligible patients. Poor recall may affect findings.

CONCLUSIONS

Modality decision making is a complex process, influenced by the patient's health literacy, willingness to accept information, predialysis lifestyle, support systems, and values. Patient education requires the flexibility to individualize the delivery of a standardized CKD curriculum in partnership with a patient-health care team, to fulfill the goal of informed, shared decision making.

Health literacy of student pharmacists

INTRODUCTION

The primary purpose of this study was to assess the health literacy levels of doctorate of pharmacy students. A secondary objective was to determine if a correlation exists between age, degree prior to pharmacy school, work experience, and health literacy status among these students.

METHODS

Participants were first year doctorate of pharmacy students at an accredited college of pharmacy in the Southwestern United States. The design was cross-sectional. Health literacy scores were collected using the Newest Vital Sign (NVS) in English. Health literacy was dichotomized with a score of 0-3 indicating inadequate and 4-6 indicating adequate. A two sample t-test or Fisher's exact test was used to compare cofactors between health literacy groups.

RESULTS

Of the 72 first year students, 64 (88.9%) participated. The median NVS score was 5 (lower quartile 5, upper quartile 6). Nearly 90% of students (n = 57) obtained a score of ''always adequate literacy.'' Student age, having a degree before pharmacy school, nor healthcare work experience were significantly different between the two groups.

DISCUSSION

If students enter pharmacy school with a high level of health literacy, they may have difficulties relating to and appropriately educating patients with low health literacy. Knowing this information, we can tailor our teaching about health literacy in curriculums to include strategies that assist students to understand what patients with low heath literacy may experience when interacting with the healthcare system.

CONCLUSIONS

Nearly all student pharmacists in the study displayed high health literacy and no correlations to collected characteristics were noted.

Awareness, self-management behaviors, health literacy and kidney function relationships in specialty practice

AIM

To determine the relationship between chronic kidney disease (CKD) awareness (CKD-A), self-management behaviors (CKD-SMB) knowledge, performance of CKD-SMBs, health literacy (HL) and kidney function.

METHODS

Participants were eligible patients attending an outpatient nephrology clinic. Participants were administered: Newest Vital Sign to measure HL, CKD self-management knowledge tool (CKD-SMKT) to assess knowledge, past performance of CKD-SMB, CKD-A. Estimated GFR (eGFR) was determined using the MDRD-4 equation. Duration of clinic participation and CKD cause were extracted from medical charts.

RESULTS

One-hundred-fifty patients participated in the study. eGFRs ranged from 17-152 mL/min per 1.73 m². Majority (83%) of respondents had stage 3 or 4 CKD, low HL (63%), and were CKD aware (88%). Approximately 40% (10/25) of patients in stages 1 and 2 and 6.4% (8/125) in stages 3 and 4 were unaware of their CKD. CKD-A differed with stage (P < 0.001) but not by HL level, duration of clinic participation, or CKD cause. Majority of respondents (≥ 90%) correctly answered one or more CKD-SMKT items. Knowledge of one behavior, “controlling blood pressure” differed significantly by CKD-A. CKD-A was associated with past performance of two CKD-SMBs, “controlling blood pressure” (P = 0.02), and “keeping healthy body weight” (P = 0.01). Adjusted multivariate analyses between CKD-A and: (1) HL; and (2) CKD-SMB knowledge were non-significant. However, there was a significant relationship between CKD-A and kidney function after controlling for demographics, HL, and CKD-SMB (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

CKD-A is not associated with HL, or better CKD-SMBs. CKD-A is significantly associated with kidney function and substantially lower eGFR, suggesting the need for focused patient education in CKD stages 1.

Role of telehealth in renal replacement therapy education

The prevalence of end-stage renal disease is rising in the United States, which bears high financial and public health burden. The most common modality of renal replacement therapy (RRT) in the United States is in-center hemodialysis. Many patients report lack of comprehensive and timely education about their treatment options, which may preclude them from participating in home-based dialysis therapies and kidney transplantation evaluation. While RRT education has traditionally been provided in-person, the rise of telehealth has afforded new opportunities to improve upon the status quo. For example, technology-augmented RRT education has recently been implemented into telehealth nephrology clinics, informational websites and mobile applications maintained by professional organizations, patient-driven forums on social media, and multimodality programs. The benefits of technology in RRT education are increased access for geographically isolated and/or medically frail patients, versatility of content delivery, information repetition to enhance knowledge retention, and interpersonal connection for educational content and emotional support. Challenges center around privacy and accuracy of information sharing, in addition to differential access to technology due to age and socioeconomic status. A review of available scholarly and social media resources suggests that technology-aided delivery of education about treatment options for end-stage renal disease provides an important alternative and/or supplemental resource for patients and families.

Disparities in Health Literacy and Healthcare Utilization among Adolescents and Young Adults with Chronic or End-stage Kidney Disease

PURPOSE

Low health literacy adversely affects health outcomes in adults with chronic kidney disease. The current study examined associations between limited/inadequate health literacy and health services utilization among adolescents and young adults (AYA) with chronic or end-stage kidney disease (CKD or ESKD).

DESIGN AND METHODS

This was a retrospective cohort study that enrolled patients from both the pediatric- and adult-focused nephrology clinics of a major university hospital. Demographic information, patients' health literacy and numeracy skills (Newest Vital Sign), and health services utilization (emergency department visits, preventable hospitalizations, total hospitalizations, and length of stay in the hospital) were evaluated. A negative binomial regression model for counts tested the association between AYA patients' literacy/numeracy skills and health services utilization.

RESULTS

The study enrolled 142 participants, 66 (46.5%) patients from adult nephrology and 76 (53.5%) from pediatric nephrology clinics, with a mean age of 20.8±5.60years (range 12-31). Half of the sample (n=72, 51%) had limited health literacy skills. Health literacy/numeracy level was not significantly associated with total hospitalizations, preventable hospitalizations, emergency department (ED) visits, or length of hospital stay. However, public insurance/self-pay, minority race, and kidney transplant/dialysis diagnoses were associated with more preventable hospitalizations.

CONCLUSIONS

Among AYA with CKD/ESKD, there were no differences between the low and adequate health literacy groups on health care utilization outcomes when modeling clinical outcomes (total hospitalizations, preventable hospitalizations, ED visits, and length of hospital stay) after adjusting for demographics and disease type. This suggests that other factors warrant consideration in healthcare utilization rates.

An integrative review of the methodology and findings regarding dietary adherence in end stage kidney disease

BACKGROUND

Dietary modification is an important component of the management of end stage kidney disease (ESKD). The diet for ESKD involves modifying energy and protein intake, and altering sodium, phosphate, potassium and fluid intake. There have been no comprehensive reviews to date on this topic. The aims of this integrative review were to (i) describe the methods used to measure dietary adherence (ii) determine the rate of dietary adherence and (iii) describe factors associated with dietary adherence in ESKD.

METHODS

The Web of Science and Scopus databases were searched using the search terms 'adherence' and 'end stage kidney disease'. Of the 787 potentially eligible papers retrieved, 60 papers of 24,743 patients were included in this review. Of these papers, 44 reported the rate of dietary adherence and 44 papers described factors associated with adherence.

RESULTS

Most of the evidence regarding dietary adherence is derived from studies of hemodialysis patients (72% of patients). The most common method of measuring dietary adherence in ESKD was subjective techniques (e.g. food diaries or adherence questionnaires). This was followed by indirect methods (e.g. serum potassium, phosphate or interdialytic weight gain). The weighted mean adherence rate to ESKD dietary recommendations was 31.5% and 68.5% for fluid recommendations. Adherence to protein, sodium, phosphate, and potassium recommendations were highly variable due to differences in measurement methods used, and were often derived from a limited evidence base. Socioeconomic status, age, social support and self-efficacy were associated with dietary adherence. However, factors such as taste, the impact of the diet on social eating occasions; and dietetic staffing also appear to play a role in dietary adherence.

CONCLUSION

Dietary adherence rates in people with ESKD are suboptimal. Further research is required on dietary adherence in patients with ESKD from different social, educational, economic and ethnic groups. This research may identify other factors which may impact upon adherence, and could be used to inform the design of future strategies to improve dietary adherence. Future research that reports not just the rate of adherence to individual components of the nutrient prescription but also the overall quality of the diet would be useful.

Social relevance assessments for virtual worlds

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to introduce the concept of social relevance assessments, which are judgments made by individuals when they seek out information within virtual social worlds such as online support groups (OSGs).

Design/methodology/approach

Constructivist grounded theory was employed to examine the phenomenon of information exchange in OSGs for chronic kidney disease. In-depth interviews were conducted with 12 participants, and their posts in three OSGs were also harvested. Data were analyzed using inductive content analysis and the constant comparative method. Theoretical sampling was conducted until saturation was reached. Member checking, peer debriefing, and triangulation were used to verify results.

Findings

There are two levels of relevance assessment that occur when people seek out information in OSGs. First, participants evaluate the OSG to determine whether or not the group is an appropriate place for information exchange about kidney disease. Second, participants evaluate individual users on the OSG to see if they are appropriate people with whom to exchange information. This often takes the form of similarity assessment, whereby people try to determine whether or not they are similar to specific individuals on the forums. They use a variety of heuristics to assess similarity as part of this process.

Originality/value

This paper extends the author’s understanding of relevance in information science in two fundamental ways. Within the context of social information exchange, relevance is socially constructed and is based on social characteristics, such as age, shared beliefs, and experience. Moreover, relevance is assessed both when participants seek out information and when they disclose information, suggesting that the conception of relevance as a process that occurs primarily during information seeking is limited.

A Systematic Review of the Prevalence and Associations of Limited Health Literacy in CKD

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

The self-management and decision-making skills required to manage CKD successfully may be diminished in those with low health literacy. A 2012 review identified five papers reporting the prevalence of limited health literacy in CKD, largely from United States dialysis populations. The literature has expanded considerably since.

DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS

We used systematic review, pooled prevalence analysis, metaregression, and exploration of heterogeneity in studies of patients with CKD (all stages).

RESULTS

From 433 studies, 15 new studies met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed together with five studies from the 2012 review. These included 13 cross-sectional surveys, five cohort studies (using baseline data), and two using baseline clinical trial data. Most (19 of 20) were from the United States. In total, 12,324 patients were studied (3529 nondialysis CKD, 5289 dialysis, 2560 transplant, and 946 with unspecified CKD; median =198.5; IQR, 128.5-260 per study). Median prevalence of limited health literacy within studies was 23% (IQR, 16%-33%), and pooled prevalence was 25% (95% confidence interval, 20% to 30%) with significant between-study heterogeneity (I2=97%). Pooled prevalence of limited health literacy was 25% (95% confidence interval, 16% to 33%; I2=97%) among patients with CKD not on dialysis, 27% (95% confidence interval, 19% to 35%; I2=96%) among patients on dialysis, and 14% (95% confidence interval, 7% to 21%; I2=97%) among patients with transplants. A higher proportion of nonwhite participants was associated with increased limited health literacy prevalence (P=0.04), but participant age was not (P=0.40). Within studies, nonwhite ethnicity and low socioeconomic status were consistently and independently associated with limited health literacy. Studies were of low or moderate quality. Within-study participant selection criteria had potential to introduce bias.

CONCLUSIONS

Limited health literacy is common in CKD, especially among individuals with low socioeconomic status and nonwhite ethnicity. This has implications for the design of self-management and decision-making initiatives to promote equity of care and improve quality. Lower prevalence among patients with transplants may reflect selection of patients with higher health literacy for transplantation either because of less comorbidity in this group or as a direct effect of health literacy on access to transplantation.

Hemodialysis Access Choice: Impact of Health Literacy

BACKGROUND

Hemodialysis patients need to make decisions about vascular access and diet that they may not fully understand. In this study, we hypothesized that patients with low health literacy are likely to choose a central venous catheter (CVC) and have higher serum potassium (K), serum phosphate (P), and inter-dialysis weight gains (IDWG).

OBJECTIVE

Primarily, the study sought to describe the health literacy of patients treated with hemodialysis in a Canadian tertiary care center. The secondary objective was to describe the association between health literacy and permanent vascular access choice, hyperkalemia, hyperphosphatemia, and IDWG.

METHODS

Adult patients receiving hemodialysis for more than 6 months were included. Health literacy was assessed with the Newest Vital Sign (NVS) test. Vascular access type and reasons for CVC use were determined. Serum K, P, and IDWG were collected retrospectively for 6 months. Student's t test and logistic regression were used to determine the association between health literacy (NVS score < 4 versus ≥ 4) and CVC choice, hyperkalemia, hyperphosphatemia, and high IDWG.

KEY RESULTS

Fifty-six patients were involved. The average NVS score was 2.9. Overall, 66% of the patients had a CVC; one-third had chosen this access themselves. Poor control of K, P, and IDWG was experienced by 27%, 55%, and 36% of patients, respectively. The average NVS score was lower for patients choosing a CVC (p = .001), but not different for those with higher K, P, or IDWG. None of the patients who chose a CVC had adequate health literacy (NVS ≥ 4).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with low health literacy, who are eligible for both surgically created vascular access (fistula or graft) and CVC, are more likely to refuse fistula/graft creation compared to patients with adequate health literacy. Different educational strategies for such patients may help in appropriate decision-making. [Health Literacy Research and Practice. 2017;1(3):e136-e144.].

PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY

This study suggests that more than one-half of patients who receive hemodialysis may not understand all the information provided by their health care team. Despite a higher risk of complications with a central venous catheter, patients with lower health literacy prefer the catheter over fistula as their blood access for hemodialysis. We need to explore patient education to ensure that information is easy to understand.

Reducing the costs of chronic kidney disease while delivering quality health care: a call to action

The treatment of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) imposes substantial societal costs. Expenditure is highest for renal replacement therapy (RRT), especially in-hospital haemodialysis. Redirection towards less expensive forms of RRT (peritoneal dialysis, home haemodialysis) or kidney transplantation should decrease financial pressure. However, costs for CKD are not limited to RRT, but also include nonrenal health-care costs, costs not related to health care, and costs for patients with CKD who are not yet receiving RRT. Even if patients with CKD or ESRD could be given the least expensive therapies, costs would decrease only marginally. We therefore propose a consistent and sustainable approach focusing on prevention. Before a preventive strategy is favoured, however, authorities should carefully analyse the cost to benefit ratio of each strategy. Primary prevention of CKD is more important than secondary prevention, as many other related chronic diseases, such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, liver disease, cancer, and pulmonary disorders could also be prevented. Primary prevention largely consists of lifestyle changes that will reduce global societal costs and, more importantly, result in a healthy, active, and long-lived population. Nephrologists need to collaborate closely with other sectors and governments, to reach these aims.

Opportunities for Engaging Patients in Kidney Research

Purpose:

The purpose of this review is to provide a summary of the rationale for engaging patients in research as well as to review the established and envisioned advantages and strategies for patient-researcher partnerships. The authors of this article, which include a patient and 4 researchers in kidney disease, discuss the expected benefits and opportunities for patient engagement in their respective research programs. The 4 research programs span the spectrum of kidney disease and focus on enhancing bone health, increasing living donor kidney transplants, improving medication adherence, and preventing kidney transplant rejection.

Sources of Information:

The sources of information for this review include published studies on the topics of patient engagement and the 4 research programs of the new investigators.

Key Findings:

(1) Patient, health care provider, and researcher partnerships can contribute useful insights capable of enhancing research in kidney disease. (2) Regardless of the research program, there are various strategies and opportunities for engagement of patients with lived experience across the various stages of research in kidney disease. (3) Envisioned advantages of patient-researcher partnerships include: targeting patient-identified research priorities, integrating patients’ experiential knowledge, improving study design and feasibility through patient-researcher input, facilitating dissemination of research findings to other patients, effectively responding to patient concerns about studies, and inspiring researchers to conduct their research.

Limitations:

The limitations of the current review include the relative scarcity of literature on patient engagement within the field of kidney disease.

Implications:

The findings of the current review suggest that it will be important for future studies to identify optimal strategies for patient engagement in setting research priorities, study design, participant recruitment, execution of research projects, and knowledge dissemination and translation.

Eating Like a Rainbow: The Development of a Visual Aid for Nutritional Treatment of CKD Patients. A South African Project

Providing nutritional education for chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients in South Africa is complicated by several conditions: the population is composed of diverse ethnic groups, each with its own culture and food preferences; eleven languages are spoken and illiteracy is common in the lower socio-economic groups. Food preparation and storage are affected by the lack of electricity and refrigeration, and this contributes to a monotonous diet. In traditional African culture, two meals per day are often shared "from the pot", making portion control difficult. There is both under- and over-nutrition; late referral of CKD is common. Good quality protein intake is often insufficient and there are several misconceptions about protein sources. There is a low intake of vegetables and fruit, while daily sodium intake is high, averaging 10 g/day, mostly from discretionary sources. On this background, we would like to describe the development of a simplified, visual approach to the "renal diet", principally addressed to illiterate/non-English speaking CKD patients in Southern Africa, using illustrations to replace writing. This tool "Five steps to improve renal diet compliance", also called "Eating like a Rainbow", was developed to try to increase patients' understanding, and has so far only been informally validated by feedback from users. The interest of this study is based on underlining the feasibility of dietary education even in difficult populations, focusing attention on this fundamental issue of CKD care in particular in countries with limited access to chronic dialysis.

Targeting Access to Kidney Care Via Telehealth: The VA Experience

The Veterans Affairs (VA) is the largest integrated health care system in the United States and is responsible for the care of a population with a disproportionately high rate of CKD. As such, ensuring access to kidney health services is a VA imperative. One facet of the VA's strategy to reduce CKD is to leverage the use of teletechnology to expand the VA's outreach to Veterans with kidney disease. A wide array of teletechnology services have been deployed to both pull in Veterans and push out kidney health services to Veterans in their preferred health care venue. Teletechnology, thus, expands Veteran choice, facilitates their access to care, and furthers the goal of delivering patient-centered kidney specialty care. The VA has demonstrated the feasibility of virtual delivery of kidney specialty care services and education via synchronous and asynchronous approaches. The challenges ahead include determining the relative health care value of kidney telehealth services, identifying Veterans most likely to benefit from specific technologies and optimizing the adoption of effective kidney telehealth services by both providers and patients alike to ensure optimal and timely kidney health care delivery.

An observational study of health literacy and medication adherence in adult kidney transplant recipients

BACKGROUND

There is a high prevalence of non-adherence to immunosuppressants in kidney transplant recipients. Although limited health literacy is common in kidney recipients and is linked to adverse outcomes in other medical populations, its effect on medication adherence in kidney transplant recipients remains poorly understood. The objective was to investigate the effect of lower health literacy on immunosuppressant adherence.

METHODS

Kidney recipients who were at least 6 months post-transplant and outpatients of Vancouver General Hospital in B.C., Canada were recruited through invitation letters. A total of 96 recipients completed the Health Literacy Questionnaire, which provides a multifactorial profile of self-reported health literacy and the Transplant Effects Questionnaire-Adherence subscale measuring self-reported immunosuppressant adherence. Hierarchical linear regression was used to analyze the association between health literacy and adherence after controlling for identified risk factors of non-adherence.

RESULTS

Our sample was on average 53 years old, 56% male and 9 years post-transplant. Kidney recipients reported low levels of health literacy on scales measuring active health management and critical appraisal of information and 75% reported non-perfect adherence. Worse adherence was associated with poorer overall health literacy (ΔR2 = 0.08, P = 0.004) and lower scores on six of nine of the health literacy factors.

CONCLUSIONS

Poorer health literacy is associated with lower immunosuppressant adherence in adult kidney transplant recipients suggesting the importance of considering a recipient's level of health literacy in research and clinical contexts. Medication adherence interventions can target the six factors of health literacy identified as being risk factors for lower medication adherence.