Abstract
Background:
Kidney stones have recently emerged as a public health concern, with lifestyle and dietary factors contributing importantly to their formation.
Objective:
To evaluate the Knowledge and preventive practices related to kidney stones among the university students of Peshawar.
Methods:
The sample population consisted of 340 university students (201 males, 139 females) who completed a structured questionnaire in a cross-sectional study. Data was collected on demographics, knowledge of risk factors, symptoms and preventive practices for kidney stones. The data was analysed using the software SPSS, version 22.
Results:
Participants were an average of 22.3 ± 3.5 years old. 30 (10.4%) students answered yes to a personal history of kidney stones, and 36 (10.5%) students had a family history. 72.9% identified high salt intake as a risk factor, while 35.8% animal protein and oxalate-rich diets as a risk factor. Knowledge of prevention was low, with only 84.7% reporting the importance of adequate fluid intake as protective, while 78.5% were unaware of the role of dietary calcium. Preventive behaviours were lacking; for instance, 59.7% drank only 1-2 litres of water a day, and 35.3% regularly ate snacks with a high sodium base. There were marked gender disparities in knowledge of animal protein, sedentary lifestyle and untreated stones causing kidney failure (p<0.05).
Conclusion:
University students demonstrated moderate knowledge but poor preventive practices regarding kidney stones. Targeted educational interventions are necessary to improve awareness and promote healthier behaviours to reduce the future risk of urolithiasis.