MINORITY WOMEN are at GREATEST RISK for LUPUS, says CDC
The Ad Council and US Department of HHS have joined together to launch a New PSA Campaign to raise awareness about Lupus.
One of every 200 Americans is affected by Lupus. Ninety percent of those with lupus are women of childbearing age (15-44) and it is three times more common among minority women. Approximately 15% of people with lupus will die prematurely from health consequences of the disease. Even scarier than those numbers is that the lack of awareness of symptoms and effects on health are the underlying cause for late diagnosis and increased morbidity. Lupus is one of the least recognized diseases (particularly among those at greatest risk) and one of the most difficult to diagnose. A report from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) suggests that increased awareness and proactive diagnosis of the disease will reduce the number of deaths due to lupus.
In an effort to raise awareness and diagnosis of lupus, the U.S Department of Health & Human Services’ Office on Women’s Health (HHS) and the Ad Council are launching the Could I have Lupus? public service advertising campaign – the first ever for Ad Council with the HHS.
For more information, see report at: www.cdc.gov/omhd/AMH/factsheets/lupus.htm
