Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #110691

Donna Calvin, MS, APRN, CNN, Nursing/Public Health, University of Illinois, Chicago, 840 South Damen, Chicago, IL 60612, 708 748 4546, dcalvi1@uic.edu and Karen Roberts, MS, APRN, Chronic Kidney Disease, Fresenius Medical Care, 9730 South Western suite 150, Evergreen Park, IL 60805.

The purpose of this presentation is to increase awareness of the impact of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in the African American population; and to enhance healthcare provider's ability to prevent, identify and treat CKD by discussing strategies used by healthcare providers in an established CKD clinic. The results of evidenced-based research support the fact that the identification and treatment of CKD may impede or arrest progression to end stage renal disease (ESRD). This clinic was established five years ago on the south side of Chicago for the purpose of preventing or delaying the progression to ESRD in those diagnosed with early stages of CKD. The clinic predominantly serves African Americans with type 2 diabetes, the leading cause of ESRD. The prevalence of ESRD in the US has quadrupled since 1978 with the highest incidence rates among African Americans. Diabetes and diabetes-related complications disproportionately affect African-Americans. In particular, African-Americans with diabetes are 2.6-5.6 times more likely to suffer from CKD than Caucasians. The incidence of ESRD among African Americans is alarming,1000 per million compared to the overall incidence in the United States of 334 per million. A multidisciplinary approach is employed in managing the hypertension, hyperlipidemia and diabetes that lead to ESRD and in treating the co-morbid conditions of CKD. The patients' disease and their social and environmental concerns are incorporated into their treatment plan. In our CKD clinic, 17% of patients who initiated treatment in the early stages had some improvement in kidney function while 52% have remained stable. Historically, treatment for early stages CKD was non-existent. Typically, people were referred to the nephrologist when they needed renal replacement therapy. Our results emphasize the need to initiate management of CKD in the early stages and to increase screening efforts for the identification of CKD.

Learning Objectives: