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Age, education, and health literacy emerged as key drivers of self-care behavior in individuals with chronic kidney disease. 

The study published in the April 2025 issue of BMC Nephrology  abour Chronic kidney disease (CKD) which poses significant health risks, including cardiovascular complications and reduced QoL. Identifying factors that influence self-care behavior (SCB) is crucial for improving patient outcomes. 

Researchers conducted a retrospective study to analyze factors affecting SCB in patients with CKD.  

They conducted a structured search on PubMed and EBSCO until June 10th, 2024. The review was not limited by publication year, published in English, and only full-text articles were included. 

The results showed that 510 articles were identified, with 109 duplicates removed, leaving 401 articles. About 16 articles met the inclusion criteria. Factors associated with SCB included health literacy, social support,  disease knowledge, age, occupation, income, marital status, place of residence, gender, education, comorbidities, smoking habits, body mass index, participation in CKD programs, duration since CKD diagnosis, CKD stage, psychological factors, therapy compliance, self-efficacy, and laboratory results (triglyceride, PCR urine, hemoglobin, phosphor, and albumin levels). 

Investigators found that age and education were the most significant factors associated with SCB in 5 studies and highlighted the importance of addressing patient-specific factors through education and counseling to improve SCB. 

Source: bmcnephrol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12882-025-04137-9