Skip to main content

Table 2 Characteristics of focus group participants by chronic kidney disease trajectory

From: Patient discourse on chronic kidney disease monitoring: a qualitative study at a Veterans Affairs Renal Clinic

Characteristics

Stable (n=9)

Linear decline (n=10)

Non-linear (n=11)

Age, mean (SD)

73.8 (3.1)

72.6 (6.5)

79.8 (4.1)

African-American race, n (%)

3 (33.3)

8 (80.0)

7 (63.6)

Male, n (%)

8 (88.9)

10 (100)

11 (100)

Income less than $20,000/year, n (%)

3 (33.3)

5 (50)

2 (18.2)

Inadequate health literacya, n (%)

2 (22.2)

2 (20.0)

3 (27.3)

Confidenceb, n (%)

11.0 (2.3)

10.5 (2.5)

10.0 (4.4)

Married, n (%)

6 (75.0)

5 (50.0)

4 (36.4)

Social supportc, mean (SD)

20.0 (4.4)

19.5 (3.8)

19.0 (3.8)

Hypertension, n (%)

7 (77.8)

10 (100)

10 (90.9)

Diabetes, n (%)

2 (22.2)

10 (100)

8 (72.7)

Number of medications, mean (SD)

10.0 (5.1)

16.0 (6.0)

15.0 (6.9)

eGFR, ml/min/1.73 m2

   

 45 – 59

2(22.2)

0 (0.0)

2 (18.2)

 30 – 44

6(66.7)

6 (60.0)

6 (54.6)

 < 30

1(11.1)

4 (40.0)

3 (27.3)

Years of monitoring in renal clinic, median (range)

2.6 (0.7 – 8.3)

2.4 (0.3 – 7.5)

4.5 (0.9 – 12.9)

  1. Trajectories included: stable (rate of decline < 2 ml/min/1.73 m2/year, total decrease not > 4.5 ml/min/1.73 m2, and no decline by > 8 ml/min/1.73 m2 between any 2 measurements), linear decline (consistent rate of decline > 4 ml/min/1.73 m2/year throughout available follow-up and total decline ≥ 8 ml/min/1.73 m2) and non-linear (all other trajectories). We adapted trajectory definitions from prior studies and available electronic health record eGFR data from the prior three years
  2. aHealth literacy screening defined as “somewhat, a little bit, or not at all” when asked “how confident are you filling out medical forms by yourself?” [14, 15, 17]
  3. bSelf-reported confidence in CKD related self-management tasks. Scores range from 6 to 30 with higher scores indicating lower confidence [16]
  4. cAbbreviated social support measure. Scores range from 5 to 25 with higher scores indicating more support [17, 18]