How young people cope with chronic kideny disease: literature review

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a complex, long-term condition occurring in all age groups. It has been reported that the incidence of renal replacement therapy in young people is 7–8 per million population. Notwithstanding those individuals who may receive a donor kidney, many individuals may be disenfranchised by perceptions of helplessness and feelings of powerlessness against a backdrop of diminished health outlook, consequently impacting on capacity for effective coping.

Aim: The aim of this review is to explore how young people cope with CKD.

Methods: Three hundred and thirty-seven abstracts were identified. Sixty-three papers were cross-examined using a Critical Appraisal Skills Checklist Tool.

Results: Young people face various demands; these may be episodic or ongoing, depending on health and circumstance. The themes this review uncovers are: ‘Lack of a Coping Definition’; ‘Coping Strategies in Young People’; and ‘Barriers to the Understanding of Coping in Young People’.

Conclusion: More qualitative research is vital to retrieve ‘real-life’ perceptions from young people coping with kidney disease to identify how care should be made more explicit for them.