Chronic kidney disease is a common and serious problem in Australia. Those with the most severe form, end-stage kidney disease, usually require dialysis or a kidney transplant to survive. It is with these resource intensive and technologically advanced treatments that much of the health costs for chronic kidney disease are incurred, with regular dialysis the...

This report explains what chronic kidney disease is and describes its extent and patterns in the Australian community. Chronic kidney disease contributed to nearly 10% of all deaths in Australia in 2006 and over 1.1 million hospitalisations in 2006-07. Risk factors for chronic kidney disease are highly prevalent in Australia and the number of Australians...