Differences in the local and national prevalences of chronic kidney disease based on annual health check program data

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is now recognized as a global public health problem, and evaluating the prevalence of CKD at the local level is important and helpful for assessing health care needs and targeted interventions. To assess the current picture concerning CKD in a local area, local and national prevalences of CKD were compared by calculating standardized rate ratios (SRRs) and confidence intervals (CIs).

For the national prevalence of CKD, the data from a previous report that showed age- and sex-specific prevalence of each stage of CKD on the basis of a large dataset from the Japanese annual health check program were used. Using annual health check program data in Sado City, the SRRs and CIs were calculated.

The SRRs were 0.70 for males and 0.60 for females, indicating that Sado City had a 30 % lower prevalence of CKD for males and a 40 % lower for females than the national average. The 95 % CIs of the SRRs were calculated as 0.64-0.72 for males and 0.55-0.64 for females. Thus, the prevalence of CKD for both males and females in Sado City is significantly lower than the national average for Japan.

Because this methodology adjusts for age and sex, it can serve as a useful tool to assess the current picture related to CKD in a local area. We believe that this could be an important step for improving local care to prevent the development of CKD.