According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 35 million adults—1 in 7—in the United States have chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, 9 in 10 adults that suffer with CKD do not know they have it.
In the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2017–March 2020)¹, awareness was defined as a self-reported affirmative response from adults with measured CKD to the question, “have you ever been told by a doctor or other health professional that you had weak or failing kidneys?”
The data showed low awareness among those with moderately increased risk for CKD, representing 22 million U.S. adults who are unaware of their higher risk. Although earlier-stage CKD is more prevalent than advanced stages, low screening rates, particularly for albuminuria, may contribute to the low awareness of disease. 
“If providers could increase screening rates, it would enable adults with earlier stages of CKD to be diagnosed earlier and receive timely treatment to help prevent/delay progression to End State Renal Disease (ESRD),” shared Dee Kaser, RN, CDCES, Quality Improvement Advisor with Great Plains QIN.
Read more and take a look at the data in the CDC’s Kidney Disease Surveillance System.
Great Plains QIN offers a suite of tools on our Chronic Disease Management web page under the Chronic Kidney Disease tab, such as the CKD Change Package developed by the National Kidney Foundation, which outlines how to identify guidelines for early recognition of CKD and implementation for primary care.
Reference:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Chronic Kidney Disease in the United States, 2023. Atlanta, GA: US Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2023. Kidney Disease Surveillance System (cdc.gov)
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Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) …Could you have it and not know it?: The kidneys filter waste and excess fluid from the blood. As kidneys fail, waste builds up. Symptoms of chronic kidney disease develop slowly; some people have no symptoms at all and are diagnosed by blood and urine tests. Learn what you can do to help prevent CKD and lower your risk for kidney failure. Developed especially for your patients and families to learn more about CKD.