Table 1 Overview of included studies. Abbreviations: SD: standard deviation, CKD: Chronic Kidney Disease; KRT: kidney replacement therapy. ^aStudies with unspecified distribution CKD groups (e.g. “CKD 4-5 are marked as CKD 4 and CKD 5); +studies with eGFR ranges (e.g. “eGFR < 30″ are marked as CKD 4 and CKD 5) are attributed to a CKD stage according to the KDIGO CKD staging system; ^b mean; ^c median. An overview of the 20 studies that included a mixed population is presented in the supplement Table S1

Andrew, J. 2001 [36]

United Kingdom

10

–

–

x

Purposive

Interview (semi-structured)

Grounded theory

Needs and experiences of predialysis patients

Iles-Smith, H. 2005 [37]

United Kingdom

10

62^b

(range 37–73)

8/2

x

Consecutive

Interview (semi-structured)

–

Perceptions, expectations and experiences of predialysis patients

Tweed, A. E. 2005 [35]

United Kingdom

9

54^b

(range 29–69)

5/4

x

Convenience

Interview (semi-structured)

Phenomenology

Process of patient decision-making, perspectives and impact on life in predialysis patients

Costantini, L. 2008 [9]^a

Canada

14

41.3^b

(range 16–69)

6/8

x

x

x

Purposive

Interview (semi-structured)

Content analysis

Self-management, experiences and perceptions on health and support in CKD

Sakraida, T. J. 2009 [38]

USA

6

58^b

(SD: 9.98)

4/2

x

x

Purposive

Focus group

Ethnography

Perceived resources for and barriers of self-management

Noble, H. 2010 [39]

United Kingdom

30

–

–

x

Consecutive

Observations,

Interview

–

Symptoms in late stage CKD

de Brito-Ashurst, I. 2011 [40]

United Kingdom

20

60^b

(SD: 8)

0/20

x

Purposive

Focus group,

Interview (structured)

–

Views on CKD diets and salt intake and barriers and facilitators of dietary change

Nygardh, A. 2012 [41]

Sweden

20

69^c

(range 38–86)

14/6

x

Purposive

Interview (unstructured)

Content analysis

How to empower patients with CKD

Sakraida, T. J. 2012 [42]

USA

6

58^b

(SD: 9.98)

4/2

x

Convenience

Focus group

Ethnography

Coping resources and barriers of self-management in CKD

Walker, R. 2012 [43]+

United Kingdom

9

75.9^b

(range 63–93)

4/5

x

x

Purposive

Interview (semi-structured)

–

Experiences with adherence to behavioural changes in late stage CKD

Johnston, S. 2012 [44]

United Kingdom

9

86^b

(range 74–96)

4/5

x

Convenience

Interview (semi-structured)

Grounded theory

Motivation to opt for conservative therapy in late-stage CKD

McKillop, G. 2013 [45]

United Kingdom

10

60^b

(range 29–82)

5/5

x

Purposive

Interview (semi-structured)

Thematic analysis

Views and motivations regarding adherence to medication

Lin, C. C. 2013 [11]^a

Taiwan

15

-

(range 25–77)

12/3

x

x

x

Purposive

Interview (semi-structured)

Content analysis

Illness representations and coping processes in early CKD

Lopez-Vargas, P. A. 2014 [8]

Australia

38

54^b

(range 20–79)

23/15

x

x

x

x

x

Purposive

Focus group

Grounded theory

Experiences, perspectives and information needs in managing and living with CKD

Tangkiatkumjai, M. 2014 [34]^a

Thailand

16

62.5^b

(SD: 12.3)

6/10

x

x

x

–

Interview (structured)

Thematic analysis

Views on and reasons to use herbal and dietary supplements

Clarke, A. L. 2015 [46]

United Kingdom

30

FG: 68.6 (range 48–83); IV 64.1

(range 26–78)

FG: 7/6; IV: 11/6

x

x

x

Convenience, purposive

Focus group,

Interview (semi-structured)

Constructivist paradigm

Motivators, barriers and beliefs regarding physical exercise

Erlang, A. S. 2015 [47]

Denmark

9

-

(range 37–86)

7/2

x

Convenience

Interview (semi-structured)

Phenomenology and hermeneutics

Perspectives, values and experiences related to involvement in the choice of dialysis modality

Shirazian, S. 2016 [48]^a

USA

23

64^b

(SD: -)

14/9

x

x

x

x

Purposive

Focus group

Thematic analysis

Views, barriers and supports to the self-management of CKD

Wright Nunes, J. 2016 [49]^a

USA

49

62^b

(SD: 14)

24/25

x

x

x

x

x

Purposive

Interview (semi-structured)

Grounded theory

Emotions after diagnosis, views on how diagnosis was communicated

Wu, C. C. 2016 [50]^a

Taiwan

15

52^b

(range 24–81)

7/8

x

x

Purposive

Interview (semi-structured)

Content analysis

Experiences and perceptions related to living with late-stage CKD

Schipper, K. 2016 [51]^a

The Netherlands

41

-

(range 18–75)

17/24

x

x

Purposive

Interview (semi-structured),

Focus group

Content analysis

Experience, needs and coping with CKD

Bowling, C. B. 2017 [12]+

USA

30

75.1^b

(range 70.1–90.7)

29/1

x

x

x

Convenience

Focus group

Grounded theory

Self-management and complexity of CKD

Havas, K. 2017 [52]^a

Australia

63

56.9^b

(range 25–84)

26/37

x

x

x

x

Convenience

Interview (semi-structured)

Content analysis

Experiences, perceptions and suggestions on self-management support

Lovell, S. 2017 [33]

New Zealand

17

75.1^b

(range 66–90)

14/3

x

Purposive

Interview (semi-structured)

Content analysis

Perspectives of progression of CKD and decision making regarding dialysis.

Pugh-Clarke, K. 2017 [53]^a

United Kingdom

18

65^b

(SD: 13.21)

9/9

x

x

Convenience

Interview (semi-structured)

Thematic analysis

Symptom experience in CKD stage 4 and 5

Campbell-Crofts, S. 2018 [10]^a

Australia

12

-

(range 31–81)

4/8

x

x

x

Convenience

Interview (semi-structured)

Thematic analysis

Views on decision making regarding KRT in late stage CKD