LOS ANGELES, March 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- DaVita Kidney
Care, a division of DaVita Inc. (NYSE: DVA) and a leading provider
of kidney care services in the United
States, today supports World Kidney Day by asking people to
take a short risk quiz to help determine their risk of kidney
disease, one of the top 10 leading causes of death in the U.S.
One in 10 adults over 20 years of age in the U.S. have chronic
kidney disease (CKD), or around 31 million Americans. Southern California has a disproportionately
higher rate of kidney failure (3rd highest rate in the
country) compared to other states and regions, according to the
National Kidney Foundation and Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention.
One major challenge with CKD is that it is typically symptomless
until its later stages, leaving many people unaware they are in an
early stage of the disease. When kidney disease is detected in
early stages, the progression may be slowed or prevented altogether
with effective management of diet, exercise, medications and other
diseases.
Those with diabetes and high blood pressure are at the greatest
risk for developing kidney disease, as are people with
cardiovascular disease, obesity, high cholesterol, lupus and a
family history of the disease. Certain minority populations are
disproportionately affected by CKD – particularly
African-Americans, Hispanics and American Indians.
According to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention:
- One in three people with diabetes has kidney disease.
- One in five people with high blood pressure has kidney
disease.
- African-Americans are about three and a half times more likely
to develop kidney failure than Caucasians.
- Hispanics are one and a half times more likely to develop
kidney failure than non-Hispanics.
The good news is there are many resources to help those impacted
by kidney disease maintain a high-quality life. DaVita Kidney Care provides a comprehensive
suite of offerings at no-cost, including:
- myDaVita – A collection of online tools and resources for
patients and caregivers that includes an online social community,
kidney-friendly recipes, and tools to help with diet and nutrition
management, and finding a nephrologist or a dialysis center.
- DaVita Diet Helper™ – This tool helps patients take control of
their health through diet management – a significant way to delay
the progression of kidney disease. In addition to 1,000-plus
kidney-friendly recipes, DaVita Diet Helper™ offers a way to track
important nutritional information.
- Kidney-Friendly Cookbooks – A collection of seasonal cookbooks
with kidney-friendly recipes that give patients with kidney disease
delicious and healthy meal options.
- Kidney Smart – No-cost educational classes designed to give
patients and caregivers the information they need to understand and
manage kidney disease. Classes are open to the community and take
place in cities across the U.S. Online classes are also available
for those who prefer learning from home.
To take the risk quiz, learn about risk factors and access other
kidney disease resources, please visit
DaVita.com/LearnYourRisk.
About DaVita Kidney
Care
DaVita Kidney
Care is a division of DaVita Inc., a Fortune 500® company
that, through its operating divisions, provides a variety of health
care services to patient populations throughout the United States and abroad. A leading
provider of dialysis services in the
United States, DaVita Kidney
Care treats patients with chronic kidney failure and end
stage renal disease. DaVita Kidney
Care strives to improve patients' quality of life by
innovating clinical care, and by offering integrated treatment
plans, personalized care teams and convenient health-management
services. As of December 31, 2016,
DaVita Kidney Care operated or
provided administrative services at 2,350 outpatient dialysis
centers located in the United
States serving approximately 188,000 patients. The company
also operated 154 outpatient dialysis centers located in 11
countries outside the United
States. DaVita Kidney Care
supports numerous programs dedicated to creating positive,
sustainable change in communities around the world. The company's
leadership development initiatives and social responsibility
efforts have been recognized by Fortune, Modern Healthcare,
Newsweek and WorldBlu. For more information, please visit
DaVita.com.
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SOURCE DaVita