Video Encourages African Americans to Get Tested for Kidney Disease

Format: Video and Web site
Institute: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)

Kidney disease is a silent killer. Some individuals find themselves in the emergency room on dialysis before they even know they have a problem. That is why it is important to know you are at risk. If you have diabetes or high blood pressure, you should have your blood and urine tested regularly for early signs of kidney disease. While anyone can develop kidney disease, African Americans are hit especially hard. An estimated 36 in 100,000 African Americans versus 11 in 100,000 whites were treated for kidney failure in 2001. African Americans have four times the risk of kidney failure, and those with diabetes have up to six times the risk of their white counterparts. The biggest disparity is among African American men aged 25 to 44, who are 20 times more likely to develop kidney failure.

A new video from NIDDK, “You Have the Power to Prevent Kidney Disease,” features an African American woman living with kidney failure and details her son’s decision to get tested for kidney disease. The four-minute video emphasizes the risk factors for kidney disease and the steps that can be taken to prevent or delay kidney failure. This important educational resource encourages people at risk for kidney disease to get tested.

Next Steps
Visit the NIDDK National Kidney Disease Education Program at www.nkdep.nih.gov/resources/index.htm and scroll down to find the links for the “You Have the Power to Prevent Kidney Disease” video.

You can view the video online with RealPlayer or Quicktime software on a 56k or Broadband internet connection. You can download and install RealPlayer and Quicktime from the site.

You can also read a transcript of the video online at http://www.nkdep.nih.gov/resources/youhavethewpower_transcript.txt.