Knowledge and Awareness of Chronic Kidney Disease among Residents of Hadejia Emirate, Jigawa State: Implications for Public Health Education

This study assessed the knowledge and awareness of chronic kidney disease (CKD) among residents of Hadejia Emirate, Nigeria, to inform public health education. A descriptive survey design was employed, utilizing a structured questionnaire with a 5-point Likert scale administered to 150 purposively sampled residents. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Contrary to prevailing literature, findings revealed a statistically significant high composite level of knowledge (Mean=3.28) and awareness (Mean=3.91). Notably, awareness was equitably distributed across age and gender, with no significant demographic differences. The results indicate a paradigm shift, demonstrating that localized health education efforts have been remarkably effective in building foundational community awareness. However, this high knowledge exists alongside a documented severe lack of accessible healthcare services, creating a critical paradox. The primary implication is that public health strategy must now pivot from raising basic awareness to guiding an informed community on navigating the inadequate health system and advocating for better services. It is concluded that policymakers must urgently bridge the gap between community readiness and healthcare capacity by improving service availability, accessibility, and affordability to translate high awareness into positive health outcomes.