DR SATYENDRA Persaud, consultant urologist and lecturer in urology at UWI, is foing a research project on kidney stones in TT.

Part of the project involves a survey to determine the prevalence of kidney stones in TT. The survey is applicable to everyone, with or without kidney stones.

Kidney stones are formed from an excess of solutes (solids normally dissolved in the blood), such as calcium, from not drinking enough water or a combination of both.

The excess solutes crystallise and are deposited in the kidney during the body's waste-removal process.

The wider study looks at stones in the kidney or ureter (kidney tubes) only and does not deal with bladder stones or gallstones.

Persaud said, "We have no idea how common stones are and this is why this project is critical.

"Kidney stones is a huge problem in TT that no one really is talking about.

"If we can prove that it is an important public health problem, we may be able to lobby for increased resources."

Persaud said the survey may improve care for all patients in TT but many responders are needed to achieve the most accurate estimation of the condition's prevalence in the country. It is also intended to gather the respondents' knowledge about the subject.

He said he has received about 600 responses so far and would be pleased to receive 2,000 by the end of September, at which point he will close it for the analysis stage.

The survey is anonymous and no one can see the respondents' name or individual answers after the survey is submitted.

Respondents are asked to fill out the survey alone and to the best of their knowledge, without searching the answers online or otherwise.

The survey can also be reached by scanning a quick response (QR) code printed on posters in various clinics and other locations across the country, which will carry the user to kidneystonesurvey.com.