NEW YORK, Sept. 1, 2020 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) is joining forces with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the American Society of Nephrology (ASN), and actor, activist and entrepreneur Wilmer Valderrama to reach the 1 in 3 American adults at risk for kidney disease.  “Are You the 33%?” is a nationwide public awareness campaign relaunching today timed for Hispanic Heritage Month. The campaign, originally launched in March 2020, was paused due to the national pandemic and will run through March 2021.

With compelling visuals, a thought-provoking social media campaign and a broadcast PSA featuring Wilmer Valderrama, the campaign, which is available in English and in Spanish, focuses on the 33 percent of adults in the U.S. at risk for developing dangerous, life-threatening kidney disease. Risk factors include diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity and family history of kidney disease. Black or African American and Hispanic or Latino people are also at greater risk of developing kidney disease.

“Look around the next time you’re stuck in a traffic jam with a cabbie on your left, an ice cream truck to your right, and a mom driving a minivan in front of you. 1 in 3, or 33%, of your fellow drivers are at risk for kidney disease,” said Kevin Longino, CEO of NKF and a kidney transplant patient.  “We believe it’s essential to reach the more than 80 million American adults at risk for kidney disease, especially communities of color which are at higher risk. Addressing the health disparities that exist within these communities is a critical part of the campaign and our overall work in helping people affected by kidney disease.” 

People of certain racial and ethnic groups are more likely to develop kidney disease than others. Blacks or African Americans are 13% of the U.S. population, but represent 32% of those with kidney failure. Hispanics or Latinos are 1.3 times as likely as non-Hispanics/Latinos to develop kidney failure. The two main causes of kidney disease are diabetes and high blood pressure, which are more prevalent in these communities. 

“Everyone needs to learn about kidney health,” said Valderrama. “Millions of people have kidney disease. It affects more people than breast cancer or prostate cancer. My family and I are taking this disease seriously. I took the kidney quiz to find out my risk for kidney disease and you should too.”  Valderrama has close family members affected by diabetes and high blood pressure, two of the key risk factors.

Having kidney disease also puts you at greater risk for developing life-threatening complications from COVID-19.  According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), people with kidney failure had the highest rate of hospitalization for COVID-19 among all Medicare beneficiaries. Black or African Americans and Hispanics or Latinos at a greater risk for both kidney disease and COVID-19. The campaign’s creative assets were altered to recognize the importance of social distancing to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Previous visuals included crowded stadiums. The new visuals include a Zoom meeting, a traffic scene, a socially distanced bike lane, and a socially distanced drive-in movie parking lot. 

The “Are You the 33%?” campaign, co-sponsored by the National Kidney Foundation, HHS and ASN is part of a new Public Awareness Initiative of the Advancing American Kidney Health (AAKH) plan. In November, 2019, HHS, NKF and ASN joined in a public-private partnership to implement this awareness campaign.  NKF is working with HHS and ASN to align their efforts and elevate the profile of kidney disease as an urgent public health issue. These efforts will increase the campaign’s visibility with the general public and mobilize the kidney community of patients, nephrologists and health professionals to promote new approaches to prevent, diagnose, and treat kidney disease.

 “More than 90 percent of the 37 million Americans and 850 million individuals worldwide affected with kidney disease are unaware that they are even sick,” said Anupam Agarwal, MD, FASN, ASN President. “This silent epidemic often strikes without symptoms. Millions of people won’t know they have kidney disease until their kidneys stop working and it’s too late.”

This campaign aims to change these odds. The “Are You the 33%?” campaign urges every adult to learn more by taking a simple, one-minute online quiz at MinuteForYourKidneys.org.  The campaign microsite and creative assets are available in both English and in Spanish at MinuteForYourKidneys.org.

“My own family has known the burdens of kidney disease, including how taxing dialysis can be.  Helping Americans understand their risk for kidney disease and take steps to prevent it is and must be a top public health priority,” said HHS Secretary Alex Azar. “In support of the Trump Administration’s national kidney health initiative, the ‘Are You the 33%?’ campaign will raise awareness of the risk of kidney disease and help millions of Americans take steps to improve their kidney health and prevent the costly, deadly health challenge of kidney disease.”

Go to MinuteForYourKidneys.org today and take a simple quiz and learn what to do next and how to talk to your doctor about kidney health.

Kidney disease can strike anyone, young or old, and has many causes, but early intervention can make a difference. Lifestyle changes and a healthy diet can sometimes slow the progression of the disease when caught in the early stages, and sometimes can prevent kidney failure.

This nationwide public awareness campaign was developed by creative agency Berlin Cameron, which has worked with NKF since 2016. In previous years, Berlin Cameron has helped evolve the foundation’s branding as well as created notable campaigns, including “Heart Your Kidneys” to remind the world that kidneys are just as important as every other vital organ, and that early detection is key to improving patient outcomes.

Funding and/or support for the campaign was provided to the National Kidney Foundation by the following: CVS Kidney Care, Healthy.io, AstraZeneca, Bayer, Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc., and Tricida.

Join the conversation on social media by using the hashtag #MinuteForYourKidneys. 

About Kidney Disease
In the United States, 37 million adults are estimated to have chronic kidney disease—and approximately 90 percent don’t know they have it.  1 in 3 American adults are at risk for chronic kidney disease.  Risk factors for kidney disease include: diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, and family history. People of African American, Hispanic, American Indian, Asian, or Pacific Islander descent are at increased risk for developing the disease. African Americans are almost 4 times more likely than White Americans to have kidney failure.  Hispanics are 1.3 times more likely than non-Hispanics to have kidney failure.

About National Kidney Foundation
The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) is the largest, most comprehensive, and longstanding patient-centric organization dedicated to the awareness, prevention, and treatment of kidney disease in the U.S. For more information about NKF, visit www.kidney.org.

About the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) enhances and protects the health and well-being of all Americans. HHS fulfills that mission by providing for effective health and human services and fostering advances in medicine, public health, and social services. For more information visit www.hhs.gov.

About American Society of Nephrology
Since 1966, ASN has been leading the fight to prevent, treat, and cure kidney diseases throughout the world by educating health professionals and scientists, advancing research and innovation, communicating new knowledge, and advocating for the highest quality care for patients. ASN has more than 21,000 members representing 131 countries. For more information, please visit www.asn-online.org or contact the society at 202-640-4660.

Editor’s Note: Links to the PSAs in English and in Spanish can be found below:

• English PSA 15 Seconds,
• Spanish PSA 15 Seconds
• English PSA 30 Seconds
• Spanish PSA 30 Seconds
• English PSA 1 Minute
• Spanish PSA 1 Minute

Facebook.com
Twitter:@NKF
www.kidney.org 

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SOURCE The National Kidney Foundation

OAKLAND, California, Sept. 1, 2020 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Blue Shield of California’s BlueSky Initiative, in partnership with DoSomething.org – the largest organization for young people and social change – launched a first-of-its-kind digital mental-health guide for youth, created for students by students. The guide provides young people with peer-to-peer tips on self-care, managing stress from digital learning, and supporting the mental health of fellow classmates.

With COVID-19 disrupting schooling for more than 55 million students across the United States, DoSomething.org, and the BlueSky Initiative called on their members to submit advice to help students during these difficult times. This campaign, entitled “The New State of Mind,” ran from April through June of this year and generated just under 75,000 tips.

“When we initially launched this campaign with DoSomething, we had no idea how turbulent this school year would be for millions of students, as well as their teachers and parents,” says Bryce Williams, vice president of Mind Body Medicine at Blue Shield of California. “What ‘The New State of Mind’ proves is that young people were not just anxious about the new reality of distance learning and everyday stressors, they were also committed to finding an outlet to talk about their troubles and offer solutions that would not just help them, but help others too.”

The BlueSky Initiative is a multi-year commitment by Blue Shield of California to help put more services into schools to support teens and address youth mental health issues. The release of the guide comes as year two of the program gets underway – following a successful inaugural campaign that saw more than 450 students receive counseling and over 800 teachers trained in mental health awareness.

In addition to publishing the digital mental-health guide for youth, DoSomething and BlueSky created a data-driven report for parents and teachers that highlights students’ mental health concerns and trends since shelter-in-place orders became widespread in March. Through the thousands of submissions, three themes remained consistent across New State of Mind: self-care, remote learning and helping loved ones. Sample tips from across these three core topics include:

• Find a creative outlet (from stress baking and planting, to coloring and podcasting)
• Get moving and get outside (a walk around the block, a run, or jumping rope)
• Expressing emotions (whether it is space to cry, or listening to music to calm down)
• Reach out when you need help (face-timing with friends or joining online support groups to meet new ones)
• Put aside time for you, but also make time for others (creating a schedule that builds in work and play, to journaling, and being more mindful of others’ unique needs)

As one 17-year-old DoSomething member named Alexander notes in the guide, “My plan is to keep in touch with my friends and really pay attention so if I notice if they act differently or become depressed, I can be sure they get help before something tragic happens. The signs are usually there if someone is looking and it’s more important than ever now.”

“This guide comes at a time where young people really needed it most. They are stressed, they are scared, and they are sad,” says Sahara Lake, senior manager of community impact with DoSomething.org. “But what we also found is that there is also a lot of hope among young people. They share great advice on how to grapple with stress, and how to continue to move forward, and that’s a good thing.”

“For anyone dealing with stress or any type of mental health issue, I would like them to know that you are not alone. We can work together as a community to overcome these hardships,” says Colleen, an 18-year-old DoSomething member. “This campaign helped me to reflect on positive energy and thoughts instead of all the negatives, and I’m sure it will do the same for those who pick it up and read it today.”

To access student mental health resources including the complete “The New State of Mind” guide, click on the BlueSky webpage at blueshieldca.com/bluesky.

About Blue Shield of California
Blue Shield of California strives to create a healthcare system worthy of our family and friends that is sustainably affordable. Blue Shield of California is a tax paying, nonprofit, independent member of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association with over 4 million members, 6,800 employees and more than $20 billion in annual revenue. Founded in 1939 in San Francisco and now headquartered in Oakland, Blue Shield of California and its affiliates provide health, dental, vision, Medicaid and Medicare healthcare service plans in California. The company has contributed more than $500 million to Blue Shield of California Foundation since 2002 to have an impact on California communities.
For more news about Blue Shield of California, please visit https://news.blueshieldca.com/

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SOURCE Blue Shield of California

SACRAMENTO, California, Aug. 31, 2020 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — To help protect people from severe COVID-19, the California Immunization Coalition (CIC) and the California Chronic Care Coalition (CCCC) urge the public to get their influenza (flu) shot as the 2020-2021 flu season approaches. The viruses that cause the flu weaken the immune system, making people living with chronic conditions more susceptible to the coronavirus which causes COVID-19.

“We are facing a dangerous double whammy in the coming months,” said CIC Executive Director Catherine Flores Martin. “Contracting the flu and getting COVID-19 on top of it can be deadly, so don’t wait – vaccinate. Make plans to get a flu shot now to keep you and your family protected from influenza during the pandemic.”

Those at most risk for developing complications from the seasonal flu include people living with chronic conditions such as asthma, lung disease, heart disease, diabetes, liver and kidney disorders, autoimmune disease, cancer, and blood disorders. In addition, it is important that everyone over the age of 65 receive a flu vaccine:

• 80 percent of COVID-related deaths have occurred in people over 65-years-old
• Approximately 80 percent of older adults have at least one chronic disease and 77 percent live with at least two
• Between 50 percent and 70 percent of seasonal flu-related hospitalizations are for people over the age of 65

“The seasonal flu can be devastating on its own, particularly in those living with chronic conditions,” said CCCC President & CEO, Liz Helms. “And those with chronic disease are also more vulnerable for complications if they contract COVID-19, making the coming months even more precarious, and even deadly, for so many Californians.”

The CIC recommends getting immunized for the flu in late September or early October. The flu season generally peaks between December and February. Less than half of US adults receive a flu vaccine each year. A recent study found vaccine coverage estimates in 2018-2019 remained substantially lower for non-Hispanic Black (39.4%), Hispanic (37.1%), and American Indian/Alaskan Native (37.6%) adults compared to non-Hispanic White adults (48.7%). In the 2019-2020 flu season, an estimated 60,000 people in the U.S. died from the flu, and influenza viruses caused up to 740,000 hospitalizations.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says flu vaccination can help protect people living with chronic disease avoid worsening illness:

• Flu vaccination is associated with lower rates of cardiac events among people with heart disease, especially among those who have had a cardiac event in the past year
• Flu vaccination can reduce hospitalization for flu-related chronic lung disease, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Flu vaccination is shown in separate studies to be associated with reduced hospitalizations among people with diabetes

“Preventing cases of the flu through vaccination will not only protect seniors and those living with chronic disease from potentially the deadly impact of flu , but since COVID-19 and flu symptoms are similar every person without flu symptoms will be one less person who will worry they have COVID-19 or which would further strain our already overburdened clinics and hospitals,” said Randy Bergen, MD, CIC board president and senior physician at Kaiser Permanente Medical Group in Walnut Creek.

Because of COVID-19 people may be wary of venturing out to get their flu shots this year, but most medical offices and clinics are taking precautions to protect patients seeking vaccinations and well-care. These precautions include separate facilities for seeing well-patients, scheduling well visits in the morning and visits for those with symptoms in the afternoon. The CIC and CCCC recommend people seeking the seasonal flu shot contact their medical providers or their local pharmacy to learn about the systems they have in place to protect patients seeking needed care like vaccines, and to find out when they can schedule their flu vaccine. In California, many pharmacies are already offering flu shots and they are an excellent option for many families.  Visit vaccinefinder.org to find a place nearby to get flu vaccine.

About the California Immunization Coalition
The California Immunization Coalition (CIC) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit public-private partnership dedicated to achieving and maintaining full immunization protection for all Californians to promote health and prevent serious illness, disability and death. For more information, please visit immunizeca.org and follow CIC on social media @ImmunizeCA.

About the California Chronic Care Coalition
The California Chronic Care Coalition (CCCC) is a 501 (c) non-profit public benefit organization of more than 30 leading health organizations and provider groups that promote the collaborative work of policy makers, industry leaders, providers and consumers to improve the health of Californians with chronic conditions. We envision a system of care that is accessible, affordable and of a high quality that emphasizes prevention, coordinated care, and the patient’s wellness and longevity. californiachroniccare.org

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SOURCE California Immunization Coalition; California Chronic Care Coalition