Mass screening for chronic kidney disease in rural and remote Canadian first nations people: methodology and demographic characteristics

BACKGROUND: Screening the general population for Chronic Kidney Disease is not currently recommended.. Rural and remote Canadian First Nations people suffer a disproportionate burden of Kidney Failure. The First Nations Community Based Screening to Improve Kidney Health and Prevent Dialysis (FINISHED) project intends to test the hypothesis that a mobile, mass screening initiative available to all First Nations people 10 years of age and older residing in rural and/or remote communities, is feasible, will improve health outcomes and is cost effective. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this manuscript is to describe the key elements required to design, implement and evaluate such a program and describe key characteristics of our screened cohort. DESIGN: Methods and cohort description. SETTING: 11 First Nations communities within 2 Tribal Councils in Manitoba, Canada. PATIENTS: All First Nations individuals between the ages of 10–80 living in the 11communities were eligible for the screening initiative. MEASUREMENTS: Screening Rates achieved within communities. METHODS: An interdisciplinary team partnership was established between the Diabetes Integration Project and the Manitoba Renal Program. Stakeholder consultation was obtained and protocols developed to mass screen community members using point of care testing equipment. All people screened were risk stratified, counselled and referred to nephrologists as required in real time, based on risk. RESULTS: As of August 31, 2014, 1480 people in 11 communities over 2 Tribal Councils have been successfully screened. A mean screening rate of 21% of all community members eligible (aged 10–80) has been achieved. All patients at intermediate or high risk of kidney failure have been seen by nephrologists within 1 month of screening. LIMITATIONS: Long term outcomes of kidney failure rates not assessed for at least 5 years. Alternative public health initiatives to reduce kidney failure not investigated. CONCLUSIONS: Point of care mass screening, real time risk prediction and counselling of First Nations people at high risk of Kidney Failure is feasible in rural and remote communities. Further analysis of this cohort will describe theepidemiology of CKD in these communities, and test the cost effectiveness of this strategy. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s40697-015-0046-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.