Project Description
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major global health problem. Currently, around 1 in 10 Australian adults have signs of CKD, and a further 1 in 3 are at risk of developing CKD in their lifetime. It is estimated that up to 90% of cases of early stage CKD go undetected, meaning patients only start treatment when it is too late to avoid a poor outcome. However, renal medicine has primarily focused on end-stage kidney disease patients with very costly lifesaving renal replacement therapies.
As the burden of CKD grows, it is becoming increasingly difficult to provide enough services to meet demand, meaning that some patients will not have access to the care they need. To relieve this burden, there is an urgent need for better ways to identify patients in the early stages of CKD, so that they can be better managed towards a good outcome.
Project Objectives
This PhD project investigates the characterisation of CKD through the linkage of comprehensive pathology and hospital databases, and to evaluate the epidemiology and economic burden of CKD in Western Australia. The results will be used to support the development of models of care that inform health service planning and to improve the management and outcomes of the disease. This work forms part of a larger project.
Industry Participants
Western Australia Department of Health
Western Australia Country Health Service
Western Australia Primary Health Alliance
Research Participant
Curtin University
David Lim, PhD student
Funding
DHCRC PhD Scholarship
