Article Figures & Data
Tables
- Table 1. (a) Demographics of GP interview participants (n = 27). (b) Demographics of Australian GPs in 2023 (n = 39 239)26
(a) Age (years) 31–40, 33% 41–50, 30% 51–60, 15% 61–70, 15% Sex Male, 40% Female, 60% Practice location Urban, 44% Regional, 22% Rural, 22% Remote, 15% (b) Age (years) <39, 25% 40–54, 37% 55–64, 21% 65+, 17% Sex Male, 51% Female, 49% Practice location Urban 68% Non-urban 32% aTwo GPs did not state their age.
CKD as a new construct 'I don't use the word chronic kidney disease because that’s a new term, only been in existence in the past 10 years or so, before there was no chronic kidney disease. So I tell them, look your kidneys are not working as well as they should, that’s how I tell them, we need to protect them because if there’s damage to the kidneys, you can't go back on it, so we need to protect your kidneys and then I tell them what things will damage the kidneys.' (GP08) Patient misunderstanding of terminology 'I kind of think their take on that will be, oh I've got this awful terrible thing that is going to kill me, which it just sounds so bad.' (GP25) 'I think chronic often means, for a lot of people it means severe and drastic and so it’s a very negative connotation and I think that generally I don't find it very helpful to say that.' (GP50) 'It upsets patients and puts them into feeling anxious that there’s something wrong with them, so it directly impacts on their mental health. Disease is not a word I use when I'm talking to them about a diagnosis.' (GP51) Balance of lay and medical terminology to ensure understanding 'I suppose you'd probably soften the blow and when you first start talking to them, you'll say, oh look your kidneys aren't great, they're not performing as well.' (GP18) 'I'd say, oh look the medical term is CKD which means chronic kidney disease and I tell them, it’s just a word that we — it’s what it’s called but the way I like to think of it is, is that your kidneys aren't working as well.' (GP36) Ensure patient understanding of the context of kidney disease 'Sometimes again it’s a case of we might be diagnosing diabetes at the next appointment, … and talking about kidneys as part of that.' (GP36) Rationale for always using the label 'CKD' 'But I always explain to them, you've got chronic kidney disease, chronic means that it’s a longstanding disease, it’s been there for more than three months and it’s not going to go away.' (GP75) 'I think chronic kidney disease sounds — will be my choice, it sounds better than what people use of renal failure or kidney failure. That word failure actually freak[s] out a lot patients, it’s just like the kidneys not working, you know? So chronic kidney disease give[s] them an impression that it’s something still treatable, manageable, there is a hope to change that because they've got a disease.' (GP44) CKD = chronic kidney disease
GP05 Kidney is not functioning well, renal impairment GP08 Kidneys are not working as well as they should GP10 Kidney problems, leaky kidneys GP18 Your kidneys aren’t great GP19 Your kidney is not coping well, not able to function on its optimal level GP22 Your kidneys aren’t functioning quite as well as they should be GP25 Your kidneys aren’t working very well, aren’t functioning as well as they could GP30 Your kidneys are not functioning as well as they previously did in the past GP32 Kidneys are not working as well as they used to do — as well as we would like them to GP36 Your kidneys aren’t working as well as they should be, kidney impairment GP41 Kidney problem, your kidneys aren’t functioning as well as they ought GP44 Renal insufficiency, deteriorating kidney function GP50 The kidneys aren’t functioning as well as when they were younger GP51 A drop in kidney function or renal function, chronic kidney injury GP57 Kidney dysfunction, (kidneys) are not working as efficiently as they could or should GP61 Kidney damage GP62 Renal failure or kidney failure GP66 Kidneys aren’t working at 100% GP69 Chronic kidney problem or chronic kidney issue GP75 Your kidneys aren’t working as well as they should be
Supplementary Data
- MG_10.3399BJGPO.2024.0031.pdf -
Supplementary material is not copyedited or typeset, and is published as supplied by the author(s). The author(s) retain(s) responsibility for its accuracy.
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Chronic kidney disease and the alternative labels used by GPs in Australia: a qualitative interview study
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