Table 2 Themes from nurses’ focus groups for African American patient perceptions on chronic kidney disease

Unsure of chronic kidney disease

Patient is unsure of disease

20

Denial reaction to chronic kidney disease

Patient is in denial after diagnosis

18

Accepting of chronic kidney disease

Patient is accepting of diagnosis

5

Patients don’t try to prevent

After diagnosis, patients admit they aren’t trying to prevent disease

3

All patients different in reaction

Patient reacts differently after diagnosis

3

Fear reaction to chronic kidney disease

Patient is afraid after diagnosis

2

Depression reaction to chronic kidney disease

Patient is in depression after diagnosis

1

Shock reaction to chronic kidney disease

Patient is in shock after diagnosis

1

Number of occurrences

Fear of dialysis

Patient has fear of dialysis

13

Unsure of dialysis

Patient is unsure of dialsysis

8

Dialysis helps

Patient thinks dialysis helps treat chronic kidney disease

8

Patient does not like dialysis

Patient does not like dialysis

8

Shock of dialysis

Patient is in shock at dialysis treatment prescription

7

Number of occurrences

Lack of information

Patient lacks information about disease

38

Number of occurrences

Patient non-compliant to treatment

Patient is non compliant to prescribed treatment

25

Patient compliant to treatment

Patient is compliant to prescribed treatment

5

Number of occurrences

Information from experience

Patient got information from personal experience

15

Information from family

Patient got information from family

4

Information from physician

Patient got information from physician

4

Information from other patients

Patient got information from other patients with kidney disease

3

Information from Internet

Patient got information from Internet

2

Number of occurrences

Unsure of transplant

Patient is unsure of transplant

12

Transplant risky

Patient thinks transplant is risky

10

Transplant helps

Patient thinks transplant helps kidney disease

5

Number of occurrences

God will heal

Patient thinks God will heal and no need for medicinal treatment

12

Patient doesn’t want treatment

Patient doesn’t want treatment

6

Lack money for treatment

Patient lacks money for treatment

5

Medicine won’t work in Af Am population

Patient thinks medicine won’t work in African American population

3

Number of occurrences

God will heal

Patient thinks God will heal

12

God not responsible

Patient does not think God is responsible for kidney disease

7

Trust in God

Patient trusts God

6

Number of occurrences

Dialysis is treatment for chronic kidney disease

Patient thinks dialysis is a treatment for chronic kidney disease

9

Transplant is a treatment

Patient thinks transplant is a treatment for chronic kidney disease

7

Home remedy is treatment

Patient thinks that home remedies can treat chronic kidney disease

5

Medication treatment for chronic kidney disease

Patient thinks medication is a treatment for chronic kidney disease

1

Number of occurrences

Unsure of causes of chronic kidney disease

Patient is unsure of causes of chronic kidney disease

6

Blame others for chronic kidney disease

Patient blames others for chronic kidney disease

4

Stress causes chronic kidney disease

Patient thinks stress causes chronic kidney disease

3

Genetics causes chronic kidney disease

Patient thinks genetics causes chronic kidney disease

3

Blood pressure causes chronic kidney disease

Patient thinks high blood pressure causes chronic kidney disease

2

Diabetes causes chronic kidney disease

Patient thinks diabetes causes chronic kidney disease

2

Number of occurrences

Socialization with treatment

Patient complies with treatment for socialization

8

Waiver for treatment

Patient gets a fee waiver for treatment

4

Number of occurrences

Lack support network

Patient lacks support

5

Good support network

Patient has good support

4

Number of occurrences

Swelling is sign of chronic kidney disease

Swelling is a symptom of chronic kidney disease

2

Tired is sign of chronic kidney disease

Being tired is a symptom of chronic kidney disease

2

No symptom for chronic kidney disease

Symptoms are hard to see in chronic kidney disease

2

Nausea is sign of chronic kidney disease

Nausea is a symptom of chronic kidney disease

1

Number of occurrences

Home dialysis intimidating

Patient thinks home dialysis is intimidating

6

Number of occurrences

Family urges treatment

Family of patient urges treatment

1