Illness Perceptions of African-Americans with Chronic Kidney Disease.

African-Americans have the highest rates of chronic kidney disease due to type 2 diabetes (T2DM-CKD) and of progression to end-stage renal disease. The purpose of this study was to describe African-American's perceptions of T2DM-CKD: specifically, perceptions of cause, risk, severity, self-management of T2DM-CKD before and after diagnosis, and overall effect on their lives. Informed by the Common Sense Model of Illness, a cross-sectional qualitative study using purposive sampling was conducted.

Combined diabetes-renal multifactorial intervention in patients with advanced diabetic nephropathy: Proof-of-concept.

Aims: To evaluate efficacy of a multifactorial-multidisciplinary approach in delaying CKD 3-4 progression to ESRD.

Methods: Two-year proof-of-concept stratified randomized control trial conducted in an outpatient clinic of a large public hospital system. This intervention, led by a team of endocrinologists, nephrologists, nurse practitioners, and registered dietitians, integrated intensive diabetes-renal care with behavioral/dietary and pharmacological interventions.