Abstract: TH-PO1072
Prevalence of Diagnosed Mental Health Disorders Among Patients with CKD: Findings from the UK Biobank Cohort
Session Information
- CKD: Epidemiology, Risk Factors, and Other Conditions
November 06, 2025 | Location: Exhibit Hall, Convention Center
Abstract Time: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Category: CKD (Non-Dialysis)
- 2301 CKD (Non-Dialysis): Epidemiology, Risk Factors, and Prevention
Authors
- Arbaugh, Sarah, Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
- Zhao, Runqi, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
- Verma, Ashish, Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
- Claudel, Sophie E., Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
- Srivastava, Anand, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States
- Waikar, Sushrut S., Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
- Schmidt, Insa Marie, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Background
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) frequently co-occurs with mental health disorders, leading to poor treatment adherence, increased hospitalizations, and higher mortality. However, the prevalence and management of mental health disorders in CKD populations remains unclear. This study examined the prevalence of mental health conditions and current treatment strategies among CKD patients in the United Kingdom.
Methods
We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional analysis using data from 157,299 participants that completed the Mental Health Questionnaire in the UK Biobank, a large population-based cohort study. CKD was defined using ICD-10 codes from inpatient and primary care data, self-reported diagnoses, a baseline eGFR < 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 or UACR ≥ 30 mg/g. Psychiatric diagnoses were based on self-reported conditions previously diagnosed by a healthcare professional. Groups comparisons were performed using Pearson’s Chi-squared test.
Results
Among participants who completed the Mental Health Questionnaire, 18,195 (12%) had CKD. Of these, 6037 (33.2%) reported a history of at least one mental disorder (Figure 1). Compared to individuals without CKD, those with CKD had a higher prevalence of depression (22% vs 21%; p<0.001) and anxiety disorders, including panic attacks (6.2% vs 5.4%; p=0.022) and phobic disorders (2.3% vs 1.7%; p<0.001). Overeating or binge eating disorder was also more common in individuals with CKD (0.6% vs 0.4%; p=0.022), while anorexia nervosa was less prevalent (0.4% vs 0.6%; p < 0.001). Regarding treatment modalities, individuals with CKD and depression were more likely to take prescribed medication (46% vs 42%; p<0.001) and less likely to engage in talk therapies, such as CBT or psychotherapy, (37% vs 40%; p<0.001) or other therapeutic activities such as mindfulness and yoga (11% vs 15%; p<0.001), compared to individuals without CKD.
Conclusion
This study shows a significantly higher burden of several mental health disorders among individuals with CKD, emphasizing the need for routine mental health screening in this population. These findings underscore the need for research to elucidate biological and psychosocial mechanisms behind persistently elevated rates of depression and other serious mental illnesses in CKD.