Lucimay Davey1, DR YUSUF EQBAL2,3, ASSOC PROF NICHOLAS A GRAY2,3, DR HATTIE H WRIGHT1,3
1School of Health and Sports Science, University Of Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, Australia , 2Department of Nephrology, Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service, Birtinya, Australia , 3Sunshine Coast Health Institute, Birtinya, Australia
Aim
To describe the health literacy and nutrition knowledge of caregivers of people with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and explore associations between nutrition knowledge and health outcomes of care recipients.
Background
Low caregiver health literacy is associated with poorer care recipient self-management behaviours. There is a paucity in the literature on associations between health literacy and nutrition knowledge of caregivers and its potential role in care recipient (CR) health outcomes.
Methods
Adult outpatient CKD or renal transplant patients were recruited. Consenting caregivers completed a survey including demographic questions, the Brief Health Literacy Screen, and the AUS-R Nutrition Knowledge Questionnaire (maximum score 115). CR information was collected from medical records. Statistical analysis were conducted utilising SPSS, significance was set at p<0.05.
Results
Caregivers (n=78) were predominantly female (75.6%) caring for a male (75.6%) partner (87%). Most caregivers were ≥65 years (66.3%) and CR 74(66;80) years with an eGFR of 27(18;42) ml/min. Most (64%) caregivers always did grocery shopping for CR and 75.6% prepared food for their CR >6times/week. Some (44.9%) caregivers reported to have received dietary advice on kidney disease mostly from a dietitian (32.1%). Health literacy was adequate in 91% of caregivers and overall nutritional knowledge score was 76.0(69.5;85.0). Knowledge on food choices scored highest, followed by diet-disease, food groups, and healthy eating principles (p<0.05). Positive correlations were found between health literacy and general nutrition knowledge (r=0.234, p=0.039), as well as gender with general nutrition knowledge (r=0.317, p=0.005) and diet-disease knowledge (r=0.382, p<0.001).
Conclusions
Caregivers in the current study possessed adequate health literacy and average nutrition knowledge. Further research on associations between caregiver nutrition knowledge and health outcomes of care recipients with CKD is needed.
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