Objective To identify characteristics of hemodialysis patients most likely to experience difficulty adhering to sodium restrictions associated with their dietary regimen. Design Secondary analysis using baseline data from an ongoing randomized clinical trial examining the effects of a technology-supported behavioral intervention on dietary sodium intake in hemodialysis patients. Setting 13 dialysis centers in southwestern Pennsylvania. Subjects 122 participants (61% women, 48% African American) aged 61 ± 14 years receiving maintenance, intermittent hemodialysis for end stage renal disease. Main outcome measure Normalized dietary sodium intake, adjusted interdialytic weight gain, perceived problems and self-efficacy for restricting dietary sodium. Results Younger participants were more likely to report problems managing their hemodialysis diet and low self-efficacy for restricting sodium intake. Consistent with these findings, younger participants had a higher median sodium intake and higher average adjusted interdialytic weight gain. Females reported more problems managing their diet. Race, time on dialysis and perceived income adequacy did not appear to influence outcome measures. Conclusion Our findings suggest patients who are younger and female encounter more difficulty adhering to the hemodialysis regimen. Hence, there may be a need to individualize counseling and interventions for these individuals. Further investigation is needed to understand the independent effects of age and gender on adherence to hemodialysis dietary recommendations and perceived self-efficacy.

Purpose of review The purpose of this review was to assess the prevalence of United States chronic kidney disease (CKD) health disparities, focusing on racial/ethnic groups, immigrants and refugees, sex or gender, and older adults. Recent findings There are major racial/ethnic disparities in CKD, with possible contributions from the social determinants of health, socioeconomics, and racial discrimination. Racial/ethnic minority patients experience faster progression to end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) and higher mortality predialysis, however, once on dialysis, appear to live longer. Similarly, men are quicker to progress to ESKD than women, with potential biological, behavioral, and measurement error factors. There is a lack of substantial evidence for intersex, nonbinary, or transgender patients. There are also strikingly few studies about US immigrants or older adults with CKD despite the fact that they are at high risk for CKD due to a variety of factors. Summary As providers and scientists, we must combat both conscious and unconscious biases, advocate for minority patient populations, and be inclusive and diverse in our treatment regimens and provision of care. We need to acknowledge that sufficient evidence exists to change treatment guidelines, and that more is required to support the diversity of our patient population.

Barriers to following dietary recommendations have been described; however, they remain poorly understood. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore perceived barriers to adherence to dietary recommendations in a diverse hemodialysis patient population. Participants were eligible to participate in a semi-structured qualitative telephone interview prior to randomization for an ongoing clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy of an intervention designed to reduce dietary sodium intake. Interviews were digitally recorded, transcribed verbatim and coded using an iterative qualitative process. In total, 30 (37% females, 53% Caucasians) participants, 63.2 ± 13.3 years, were interviewed. Time, convenience, and financial constraints hindered dietary adherence. Dietary counseling efforts were rated positively but require individualization. Ability to follow recommended guidelines was challenging. Suggestions for addressing barriers include technology-based interventions that allow patients to improve food choices and real-time decision-making, and permit tailoring to individual barriers and preferences.

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The development and progression of left ventricular hypertrophy is a consequence of multiple comorbid conditions associated with end-stage renal disease and large variations in interdialytic weight gains. The literature suggests that dietary sodium restriction alone significantly reduces interdialytic weight gains. A total of 124 hemodialysis participants in an ongoing randomized control trial participated in the validation in which psychometric properties of a self-efficacy survey were a secondary analysis. We evaluated the internal consistency, construct validity, and convergent validity of the instrument. The overall Cronbach α was 0.93. Three factors extracted explain 67.8% of the variance of the white and African American participants. The Self-Efficacy Survey has adequate internal consistency and construct and convergent validity. Future research is needed to evaluate the stability and discriminant validity of the instrument.