Efforts to advance chronic disease prevention through enhanced education, awareness and support — kicking off during National Kidney Month

DENVER, March 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Today, The American Diabetes Association ® (ADA) and DaVita (NYSE: DVA), a leading provider of kidney care services, announced the expansion of a multi-year collaboration, focused on advancing chronic disease prevention, specifically addressing two of the most prevalent chronic conditions in the U.S. — diabetes and chronic kidney disease (CKD). The kick-off for this expanded effort coincides with National Kidney Month, a time when both organizations bolster efforts to increase kidney health awareness and education.

Chronic disease is the leading cause of death and disability in the United States.[1] More than 38 million Americans are living with diabetes, and approximately one in three American adults with diabetes has CKD.[2] Because the symptoms of CKD are often mild and go undetected, it’s critical for individuals to understand their risk factors and take necessary steps to protect their health.

“At DaVita, we say we’re a community first and a company second, underscoring our deep-rooted commitment to creating healthier communities,” said Dr. Jeff Giullian, chief medical officer for DaVita. “By combining our expertise in kidney care with the ADA’s leadership in diabetes education, we aim to make a lasting impact on chronic disease prevention, specifically in the communities that need it most.”

As part of this expansion, DaVita has contributed an additional $1.5 million to bolster the ADA’s initiatives targeting individuals at risk of or who have diabetes and CKD, focused on driving hyperlocal and culturally relevant awareness and engagement in particular within communities of greater need.

Diabetes and CKD disproportionately affect many communities of color, including Black and Hispanic or Latino populations. The two organizations are dedicated to improving health equity by uncovering new ways to drive awareness in underserved communities, addressing disparities and barriers to care, and mitigating clinical biases. The efforts include developing materials in multiple languages, learning personal cultural context for lifestyles and dietary considerations, and identifying barriers that these communities face.

Together, the ADA and DaVita will:

• Create a digital home base with new educational materials that are easily accessible for patients and health care professionals.
• Pilot a registered dietitian (RDs) program enabling greater access to diabetes education and resources to keep RDs well-informed to better care for patients.
• Sponsor the ADA’s State of Diabetes events in high-priority markets where DaVita and ADA leaders will lead discussions around some of the most important topics facing their shared patient populations in today’s health care system.

“Through our work with DaVita, we have informed and educated millions of Americans — but our work isn’t finished,” said Charles “Chuck” Henderson, chief executive officer at the ADA. “We must continue the momentum and create more opportunities to promote diabetes and CKD education, especially in high-need communities with marginalized populations.”

To further celebrate National Kidney Month in March, DaVita has launched a campaign that focuses on “Connecting the Dots” between kidney health and other chronic conditions, including diabetes. On March 26, DaVita dietitians will join the ADA for a live cooking class featuring a tasty diabetes- and kidney-friendly meal. Learn more and register here.

For more information and resources from the ADA and DaVita, check out the latest edition of their co-created online kidney care journey at diabetes.org/kidney.

About the American Diabetes Association 

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) is the nation’s leading voluntary health organization fighting to bend the curve on the diabetes epidemic and help people living with diabetes thrive. For 83 years, the ADA has driven discovery and research to treat, manage, and prevent diabetes while working relentlessly for a cure. Through advocacy, program development, and education we aim to improve the quality of life for the over 136 million Americans living with diabetes or prediabetes. Diabetes has brought us together. What we do next will make us Connected for Life®. To learn more or to get involved, visit us at diabetes.org or call 1-800-DIABETES (800-342-2383). Join the fight with us on Facebook (American Diabetes Association), Spanish Facebook (Asociación Americana de la Diabetes), LinkedIn (American Diabetes Association), Twitter (@AmDiabetesAssn), and Instagram (@AmDiabetesAssn).

About DaVita

DaVita (NYSE: DVA) is a health care provider focused on transforming care delivery to improve quality of life for patients globally. The company is one of the largest providers of kidney care services in the U.S. and has been a leader in clinical quality and innovation for more than 20 years. DaVita cares for patients at every stage and setting along their kidney health journey—from slowing the progression of kidney disease to helping to support transplantation, from acute hospital care to dialysis at home. As of December 31, 2023, DaVita served approximately 250,200 patients at 3,042 outpatient dialysis centers, of which 2,675 centers were located in the United States and 367 centers were located in 11 other countries worldwide. DaVita has reduced hospitalizations, improved mortality, and worked collaboratively to propel the kidney care industry to adopt an equitable and high-quality standard of care for all patients, everywhere. To learn more, visit DaVita.com/About.