An integrative review: Chronic kidney disease awareness and the social determinants of health inequities

Background Chronic kidney disease is a common and prevalent condition in the United States. However, 90% of individuals with chronic kidney disease are unaware of their diagnosis. Aims To summarize the empirical and theoretical literature to provide a comprehensive understanding of the social determinants of health inequities associated with CKD awareness. Social determinants of health inequities are underlying pathways that shape the health opportunities of individuals based on their social position. Design Integrative review. Data Sources (May 2020 through July 2020) Data sources included PubMed, sociological abstracts, ScienceDirect, CINAHL and Google Scholar. Review Methods Quantitative, qualitative and theoretical articles describing the association of social determinants of health inequities and chronic kidney disease awareness were included. Results A total of 19 articles were reviewed: two qualitative, one theoretical and 16 quantitative. Conclusion Findings from this review revealed that socioeconomic status, education, race and gender are consistently associated with patient chronic kidney disease awareness. These findings should serve as a basis for further research on interventions to improve chronic kidney disease awareness as well as guide nurses and health care professionals in caring for this population.