A comparison of socioeconomic level among hemodialysis patients and normal controls in the fars province, Iran.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a public health problem and it is suggested that low socioeconomic status (SES) may increase the risk of renal failure. The aim of this study was to report and compare the SES of hemodialysis patients (HD) and normal population in Shiraz, Iran. In this cross-sectional study, we evaluated 519 HD patients and 900 normal controls. We asked about SES using a questionnaire. The participants were categorized into three groups according to their SES as low, medium, and high SES. Of the 1419 participants, 454 (31.7%), 581 (40.6%), and 395 (27.6%) were grouped in low, medium, and high SES, respectively. Most of our normal controls (43.5%) were in the medium SES group and most of the HD patients (61.3%) were in the low SES group. HD patients had a significantly lower SES score than the normal population (P <0.001). A pattern of decrease in the child number and increase in the marital age was seen associated with a rise in SES status among the two groups. In contrast with the control population, a pattern of increasing age was seen in the HD patients with a higher SES status (P = 0.038). In conclusion, SES was significantly lower in HD patients than the normal population. People with CKD and limited education or lower income should be targeted for early intervention.