4363.0 - National Health Survey: Users' Guide, 2017-18  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 30/04/2019   
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Kidney disease

Definition

This topic refers to those ever told by a doctor or nurse they have kidney disease and who consider they currently have kidney disease.

Population

Information was obtained for all persons in the 2017-18 NHS.

Methodology

Respondents were asked via the Kidney Disease module whether they had ever been told by a doctor or a nurse that they had kidney disease and, if so, whether they currently had the condition. Respondents with kidney disease were assumed to have the condition long-term.

Data items

The questionnaire, data items and related output categories for this topic are available in pdf / Excel spreadsheet format from the Downloads page of this product.

Interpretation

Points to be considered in interpreting data for this topic include the following:

    • Respondents may not have distinguished between kidney disease, kidney stones or kidney infection. Kidney stones and kidney infection may be short-term conditions. Distinction cannot be made from the data between the various kidney ailments and as such there may be respondents incorrectly classified as long-term. However given the prevalence of kidney disease is expected to be an underestimate, it is considered that the impact is minimal.
    • Those cases of kidney disease reported through the 'Other Long-term conditions' module, rather than the 'Kidney Disease' module, have not necessarily been diagnosed by a doctor or nurse. Data for these respondents are identified by their conditions status of 4. Not known or not ever told, but condition current and long-term.
    • As this is a household-based survey, those people with kidney disease resident in hospitals, nursing or convalescent homes, or similar accommodation are outside the scope of this survey. As a result, the survey will under-represent those with more severe complications of the condition.

Comparability with 2014-15

Kidney disease data are considered directly comparable with 2014-15 NHS. A question on kidney dialysis was not included in the 2017-18 NHS.

More information regarding comparisons between 2014-15 NHS and previous cycles is available in the National Health Survey: Users' Guide, 2014-15 (cat. no. 4363.0).