KIDNEY FAILURE AND HEMODIALYSIS

Comprehensive understanding of nutritional therapy required for kidney failure is essential for the prevention of medical complications. Renal diet knowledge and compliance reduces complications and improves quality of life and longevity, and yet it is estimated that only 50% of dialysis patients adhere to their treatment regime (Badzek, Hines, & Moss, 1998).

The United States Renal Data System (USRDS)(2001) reported that End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), known as chronic kidney failure, is a major health problem affecting 300,000 Americans, increasing 7% per year. ESRD can be treated by hemodialysis. The success or failure of hemodialysis for treatment of kidney failure is dependent on factors such as patient compliance. Nutritional compliance affects hemodialysis outcomes and education and support are considered to be mediating factors in nutritional compliance. For example, an understanding of vitamins and minerals are important for hemodialysis patients, glycemic control is a predictor of survival for diabetic hemodialysis patients, and protein-energy malnutrition is found in hemodialysis maintenance patients (Elfert & Drees, 1999; Kopple, 1999; Oka, Chaboyer, & Molzahn, 1999; Morioka, Emoto, Tabata, & Shoji, 2001). Renal diet is technical and complex which may affect the patient's ability to learn and retain information

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lt to comprehend. Less formal schooling and age may be factors leading to limited ability to understand these explanations. Diminished cognitive capacity may be a factor. Patient impression may also be a factor. The authors studied 142 elderly patients and determined that although patients tended to report themselves as being well-informed, closer assessment showed that the patients lacked information regarding self-care. Since the group was older and tended to lack formal high school education, it was concluded that extra educational efforts were needed to assist this group. Mayers (2000) further pointed out that knowledge deficits may be found in patients with restrictions in English-speaking abilities and cultural differences. Baker and Thomas (2001) supported the need for education as a part of a multidisciplinary predialysis care that is required to insure positive patient outcomes. The authors presented findings related to the evaluation of multidisciplinary Progressive Renal Insufficiency (PRI) programs. One of the most effective components of the programs was the education process which included peer support. Findings, published in 1999, were that the program resulted in decreased creatinine clearance, and clinic
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Some common words found in the essay are:
RenalTouch System, CafT Gourmet, Sudo Nomoto, Hines Moss, Mallick Gokal, Dekker Jager, Summary Literature, Chaboyer Molzahn, Required Thank, Population Subjects, renaltouch system, dialysis treatment, hemodialysis patients, caft gourmet, dialysis patients, dialysis treatment information, post-test scores, patient compliance, kidney disease, treatment information, patients receiving, phosphorus calcium pth, anemia vascular health, calcium pth vitamin, patients receiving renaltouch,
Approximate Word count = 3690
Approximate Pages = 15 (250 words per page)

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