KRISCARA SINGH3, PAK YAN YUE1,2, ANKE RAAIJMAKERS4,5, BELINDA DOOLEY4, HUGH MCCARTHY2,6, DEIRDRE HAHN2,6, CHANDANA GUHA1,7, ANITA VAN ZWIETEN1,7, NICHOLAS LARKINS8, ALLISON JAURE1,7, GERMAINE WONG1,7,9, MELANIE WYLD7,9, ANNA FRANCIS3, SIAH KIM1,2,7
1Centre for Kidney Research, Westmead, Australia, 2Department of Nephrology, The Children’s Hospital at Westmead, Westmead, Australia, 3Department of Nephrology, Queensland Children’s Hospital, Westmead, Australia, 4Department of Nephrology, Sydney Children’s Hospital at Randwick, Randwick, Australia, 5School of Women’s and Children’s Health, University of NSW, Kensington, Australia, 6Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Camperdown, Australia, 7Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Camperdown, Australia, 8Department of Nephrology, Perth Children’s Hospital, Perth, Australia, 9Centre for Transplant and Renal Research, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, Australia
Biography:
Bio to come
Background:
Children who experience chronic kidney disease (CKD) have poorer educational and vocational outcomes compared to their peers, with lower rates of school attendance identified as a major contributor.
Aims:
This study aims to quantify levels of school attendance in children with CKD, and identify the facilitators and barriers to school participation .
Methods:
We conducted a cross-sectional survey of school attendance in children with CKD across three paediatric nephrology centres. Parents of children between 6 and 18 years of age with CKD 1-5 or on kidney replacement therapy (KRT) were invited by email, and subsequently approached by the research team in clinic.
Results:
Of the 103 people consented, 89 (86%) completed the survey. The average age of participants were 12 years, 63% (n=56) were male and 47% (n=42) had CKD stages 1-5, whilst 53% (n=47) were on KRT. 39% (n=35) were in primary school and 61% (n=54) were in high school. In the last 4 weeks, only 8 children (9%) had full school attendance, with children with CKD missed an average of 4 full days (SD 6 days) and 2 half days (SD 4 half days ) of school. Forty-three percent of parents (n=38) reported CKD ‘often’ or ‘almost always’ reduced their child’s ability to attend school. Facilitators to school attendance were “Being with friends” (91%, n=81). Barriers to attendance included ‘Illness’ (70%, n=62), “Fatigue” (31%, n=28) and “Pain” (24%, n=21).
Discussion:
Children with CKD often miss school and barriers to attendance include illness, fatigue and pain. Future interventions should target these barriers and leverage facilitators to improve school attendance.
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