<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Self-management is an integral component of CKD treatment. Nevertheless, many patients with CKD do not adequately engage in self-management behaviors, and little is known on the underlying reasons. We aimed to identify and describe the factors that influence self-management behaviors from the perspective of adults with CKD.</p>

<p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted 30 semistructured interviews with adults with CKD stage 3 or 4 from an academic nephrology clinic in the United States. Interviews were analyzed thematically.</p>

<p><strong>Results: </strong>The following are the 3 key phases of CKD self-management behavior engagement identified: (i) prioritization, (ii) performance, and (iii) maintenance. Prioritization was favorably influenced by optimism, stress management, and patient-provider communication and hampered by fatalism and competing priorities. Behavior performance was facilitated by motivating factors, self-efficacy, and support resources and impeded by comorbid conditions that caused treatment burden and adverse symptoms. Behavior maintenance relied on effective routines, influenced by similar factors as behavior performance, and reinforced by memory aids, goal setting, self-monitoring, and proactive preparation.</p>

<p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>We identified modifiable facilitators and barriers that influence the incorporation of CKD self-management into daily life. Our findings have important implications for the care of patients with CKD by providing a framework for providers to develop effective, tailored approaches to promote self-management engagement.</p>

<p><strong>BACKGROUND: </strong>Adherence to healthy behaviors reduces risks of cardiovascular disease and death in the general population. However, among people with kidney disease, a group at higher risk for cardiovascular disease, such benefits have not been established.</p>

<p><strong>METHODS: </strong>We pooled data from three cohort studies with a total of 27,271 participants. Kidney function was categorized on the basis of eGFR (≥60, 45 to &lt;60, and &lt;45 ml/min per 1.73 m). We used proportional hazard frailty models to estimate associations between healthy behaviors (not smoking, at recommended body mass index [BMI], physical activity, healthy diet, and moderate to no alcohol intake) and outcomes (all-cause death, major coronary events, ischemic stroke, and heart failure events).</p>

<p><strong>RESULTS: </strong>All recommended lifestyle behaviors were significantly associated with lower risks of death, regardless of eGFR. Not smoking (versus current) and any moderate to vigorous physical activity (versus none) was significantly associated with reduced risks of major coronary and heart failure events, regardless of eGFR. Any (versus no) moderate or vigorous physical activity significantly associated with decreased risk of ischemic stroke events only among those with eGFR ≥60. Moderate to no daily alcohol intake (versus excessive) was significantly associated with an increased risk of major coronary events, regardless of eGFR. For heart failure events, a BMI of 18.5 to 30 associated with decreased risk, regardless of eGFR. Across all eGFR categories, the magnitude of risk reduction for death and all cardiovascular outcomes increased with greater numbers of recommended lifestyle behaviors.</p>

<p><strong>CONCLUSIONS: </strong>Recommended lifestyle behaviors are associated with lower risk of death and cardiovascular disease events among individuals with or without reduced kidney function, supporting lifestyle behaviors as potentially modifiable risk factors for people with kidney disease.</p>