Validation of A Paper Based Dietary Potassium Test for Adults with Chronic Kidney Disease

TEST FOR ADULTS WITH CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE Katherine Baczewski Mary Julius and Elizabeth Kern, Louis Stokes Cleveland Veteran Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio High plasma potassium levels are common in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and cause life threatening cardiac dysrhythmia. Self management by dietary restriction of potassium is critical. Currently, there is no valid instrument to quickly assess patient’s knowledge of dietary potassium. The purpose of this observational study was to develop and validate a novel paperbased test of knowledge of foods containing high versus low potassium (test), designed for clinical use in adult patients with CKD who need to restrict dietary potassium intake. The 21 item test allows individuals to choose from two food items, asking them to select the item lower in dietary potassium. Two forms (A) and (B) of the test were designed as parallel forms. Statistical analysis was determined using SAS, version 9.1. 34 participants with high knowledge and 34 participants with low knowledge of dietary potassium and 10 renal dietitians participated in the research by taking the potassium test. 10 renal dietitians also rated each item as essential/non-essential for patient knowledge.