DaVita Urges African-Americans to Learn About Their Risk for Kidney Disease During Black History Month
February 18, 2014 | Press Releases
Throughout February, African-Americans across the country are paying tribute to generations of challenges and triumphs. Black History Month is also a time of looking at the struggle of today, including the disproportionate incidence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and other health issues among African-Americans.
African-Americans are about three and a half times more likely to develop kidney failure than whites. In fact, African-Americans make up more than 30 percent of the people with kidney failure in the U.S., while representing only roughly 13 percent of the overall population.
"When my doctor told me I had kidney disease, I thought he had the wrong person," said David Miller, an African-American retired nurse. "My kidney disease progressed very quickly to the point I needed dialysis. I think, had we caught it in the beginning, we could have turned things around."
Miller did not know he was at risk for kidney disease until later in his life. He now has kidney failure and dialyzes at a DaVita® facility three times per week.
When addressed early enough, the progression of CKD can be slowed down, and in some cases even prevented. The first step is knowing the risk factors. DaVita has created an online quiz to assess the risk for kidney disease at DaVita.com/KidneyAware. For those at increased risk, a simple blood test from a doctor can confirm the disease.