Referral of elderly patients with severe renal failure: questionnaire survey of physicians: Table 1

The proportion of elderly people in the United Kingdom is increasing. increasing number of those with renal failure is reflected in an increase the total number of elderly patients receiving renal replacement. In 1992,12% of patients undergoing such treatment were over 75 compared with 3% in1982. Dialysis is feasible in elderly people, but there may be bias against elderly patients with renal failure to nephrologists. The reasons low referral rates are unclear but may include lack of resources, poor, or judgments about the quality of life of elderly people. To study factors applying to the referral of elderly patients with renal failure we a questionnaire survey of hospital physicians.