Awareness Of Chronic Kidney Disease Among Diabetic Patients In Erbil City

Backgrounds and objectives: Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a significant global health issue, impacting over 10% of the world's population. In many cases, CKD remains asymptomatic during its early stages due to a lack of awareness among patients regarding kidney diseases, chronic conditions, and associated risk factors. Diabetes mellitus and hypertension are the leading causes of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in both developed and developing countries worldwide. Within this context, diabetic nephropathy is recognized as the most prevalent cause of CKD. This study explores the comprehension and awareness of CKD among diabetic individuals, aiming to identify gaps that could inform future educational and preventive strategies.Methods: A quantitative, descriptive study design conducted in Layla Qasm center in Erbil City, Iraq. The sample size of the study was 397 diabetic patients. The data was gathered by asking questions to the participants during interviews. Containing: Sociodemographic characteristic of the patient, medical information and assessment of awareness of CKD among Diabetic patients. Data analysis was done using SPSS version 27.Results: 397 diabetic patient respondents to our research (58.1%female participants outnumber 41.9% males). The study population ismostly middle-aged to elderly with average age 55.34 14.465 years, urban-dwelling (62.6%), married (87.1%) Muslim (99.0%) women with low education levels (48.2%). Patients who were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes were 52.3% and mean diabetes duration of 11.35 7.847 years. The majority(42.4%) demonstrated low awareness. Meanwhile,(27.5%) showed moderate awareness, and only(24.2%) were highly awareof CKD.A statistically significant association (p < 0.05) between awareness levels and all sociodemographic variables achieved except for gender, which did not demonstrate a significant relationship.Conclusion: The awareness of chronic kidney disease (CKD) was generally limited, with about one quarter demonstrating high awareness, while nearly half of diabetic individuals had low awareness. A notable relationship (p < 0.05) was identified between the levels of CKD awareness and various sociodemographic factors; however, gender did not exhibit a significant association. These findings highlight the need for targeted educational interventions to improve CKD awareness, particularly among diabetic patients with lower education levels and older age groups, to facilitate early detection and management of CKD complications.