Mental Health in Men with Chronic Kidney Disease

Chronic kidney disease has been recognised as a leading public health problem. More than 850 million people worldwide have some form of kidney disease. This is roughly double the number of people who live with diabetes (422 million) and 20 times the prevalence of cancer worldwide (42 million) . Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is characterised by a progressive and irreversible loss of kidney function. It is often referred to as a ‘silent illness’, with few signs or symptoms in the early stages, resulting in many patients only being diagnosed when their kidneys have almost failed.

Our mental health plays a central role in how we experience and how we cope with a chronic illness. Research has widely shown that loss of health is a major contributing factor in developing mental health problems. Neuropsychiatric conditions including depression, anxiety disorders and cognitive impairment have all been shown to be prevalent in patients with chronic kidney disease . These conditions are independently associated with poor clinical outcomes, including decrease in health-related quality of life, longer hospitalisation and higher risk of mortality . The prevalence of depression in CKD patients is three to four times higher when compared with the general public and two to three times higher when compared to other chronic diseases including diabetes, coronary artery disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease . Women, when suffering with a chronic illness, are more likely to ask for help than men with the same illness and are also more likely to ask for that help sooner. When it comes to kidney disease specifically, studies show that both male and female can suffer from depression and anxiety. Some more recent smaller studies show that women with CKD are more likely to suffer from anxiety, while men with CKD are more likely to suffer from depression .