Diaverum partners with WKD 21 to increase health literacy around the world
The company has partnered with the World Kidney Day (WKD) organisers alongside industry peers to amplify the conversation around kidney health and reduce the impact of such disease across communities worldwide.
WKD is a yearly joint initiative of the International Society of Nephrology (ISN) and the International Federation of Kidney Foundations (IFKF) aimed at raising awareness of the importance of kidneys to our overall health.
Under this year’s WKD theme – ‘Living Well With Kidney Disease’ – Diaverum is starting today a series of health literacy webinars open to renal patients, their families and communities. As vaccines are key to ending the pandemic and renal patients are at greater risk of becoming seriously unwell from COVID-19, the first webinar the company is holding focuses on kidney disease and the COVID-19 vaccine, taking place today, 11 March 2021, at 17:00 CET – registrations are open to the public. Upcoming webinars are scheduled for May, September and November 2021.
Kirsty Bashforth, Diaverum Chief People and Communications Officer, said: “We are strong believers of this year’s theme of ‘Living Well With Kidney Disease’. At Diaverum, we are no strangers to this ambition. Our purpose as an organisation is to enhance the lives of renal patients, helping them live fulfilling lives. So it is beyond renal care, it is about empowering patients to live well with their condition – to achieve that, we need to come together as an industry and tackle health literacy around the world.”
Kidneys are among the most important organs in the human body and chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a global and escalating challenge today affecting about 10% of the world’s adult population. It is estimated that 90% of people suffering from CKD are not aware of their condition, which is primarily caused by lifestyle diseases such as diabetes. Its prevalence is increasing particularly in developing countries.
Dr Fernando Macário, Diaverum’s Chief Medical Officer, said: “Physicians and nurses can help patients as long as they seek our help. If people don’t know what CKD is, how it develops and how to make the right lifestyle choices to keep their kidneys healthy, the focus shifts from prevention to medical intervention. It is important to emphasise that prevention is always the best course of action, so investing in health literacy across society is part of the solution. It keeps people healthy while driving costs down to national health services and the patients themselves.”
A study published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research shows that when patients have information about their condition and communicate effectively with their doctors, they are 32% less likely to be hospitalised and 14% less likely to visit the emergency room.1
Filipe Almeida, Diaverum’s patient since 2017, said: “I was diagnosed when I was only 12 years old. As the disease was of a immunological aetiology and had a genetic origin, it was expected to progress into adulthood. Few years ago my kidney disease reached stage 5 - a stage when haemodialysis, or another replacement treatment (such as peritoneal dialysis or renal transplant) becomes necessary to replace renal function and stay alive. Accepting this new condition was not easy for me, but I simply refused give up on my life plans. I think the awareness of what are the do’s and don’t’s and education is the key. I took my COVID-19 vaccine as soon as it was possible for me in Portugal and I would encourage anyone who is still hesitant to do the same.”
[1]Greene JC, et al. (2019). Reduced hospitalizations, emergency room visits, and costs associated with a web-based health literacy, aligned-incentive intervention: Mixed methods study. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 21(10): e14772.
For media inquiries:
Bruno Pamplona Polizio
Director of Global Communications
bruno.polizio@diaverum.com
+44 (0) 7874 853405
About Diaverum:
Diaverum provides life enhancing renal care to patients with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), enabling them to live fulfilling lives. Diaverum is a leading global provider in renal care services and the largest independent provider in Europe, and we help some 39,000 patients with over 6 million treatments annually. Our focus is haemodialysis, but we offer a portfolio of treatments ranging from preventive care, peritoneal dialysis and home care to coordination of patients’ comorbidities and transplantation services.
CKD is a global and escalating challenge today affecting about 10% of the world’s adult population. It’s primarily caused by lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, and the prevalence is increasing in particular in developing countries. CKD disproportionately affects low income individuals and we ensure that our clinics are a safe and familiar space where all our patients are made to feel welcome.
Diaverum’s vision is to transform renal care, to offer the highest quality of care and empower patients to live a fulfilling life. We work together with payers to reduce total cost of care while partnering with local communities to educate around health and the value of prevention.
At the centre of what we do is our standardised, proprietary care delivery model, enabled by a continuously evolving digital infrastructure. We strive to ensure superior medical outcomes exceeding those demanded by national healthcare systems and we support patients by improving personalized care, ease of use and new services through technology.
Diaverum employs around 12,000 employees and operates more than 450 clinics in 24 countries globally. Diaverum has its head office in Malmö, Sweden.
http://www.diaverum.com/
