According to preliminary U.S. data shared by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in addition to older people, people with underlying health conditions such as diabetes, chronic lung disease, and cardiovascular disease, appear to experience more severe complications from COVID-19. Further data has shown that from March 1–30, underlying medical conditions and symptoms at admission were reported through COVID-NET for approximately 180 (12.1%) hospitalized adults (Table) and 89.3% had one or more underlying conditions.
PFCD Chairman Ken Thorpe provides helpful information in a two-part podcast, “Chronic Disease and COVID-19: Who’s at Risk and How to Lower Your Risk”.
In the first podcast, Thorpe describes who is at higher risk for a more severe COVID-19-related illness. He explains what’s meant by “underlying health conditions” that the media often use to describe people at greater risk.
In part two of the podcast, Thorpe shares steps that people at greater risk can do to protect themselves and their loved ones from infection and from poor outcomes, if infected.
- Podcast #2: What You CAN Do About COVID-19
In the next podcast series, Ken Thorpe discusses health disparities related to COVID-19. Up first is Dr. James Pinckney II.
In the next podcast segment, Ken Thorpe talks with Kevin Kimble, a founding member of the Health Equity Collaborative, and a 25-year veteran of Capitol Hill. Kevin works with several non-profit organizations and groups on inclusion and parity issues, including the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and the Financial Services Innovation Coalition.
- Podcast #4: Addressing Health Disparities & Policy Impacts of COVID-19 on Communities of Color with Kevin Kimble
This podcast explores the devastating impact chronic disease and COVID-19 are having on American Indians and other Indigenous people. PFCD’s Candace DeMatteis will talk with Ada Bends, a member of the Apsaalooke (Crow) Tribal Nation of Montana. Ada currently serves as the Tobacco Coordinator through a CDC Good Health & Wellness in Indian Country Project Grant and under the Rocky Mountain Tribal Leaders Council in Billings, MT, which serves all tribal nations in Montana, Wyoming and Idaho. The Rocky Mountain Tribal Leaders Council strives to empower the tribal nations in the development of services, systems, and epidemiologic capacities to address their public health concerns. They support solutions that honor the Indigenous health knowledge and traditions of the tribes. More information on the Tribal Council and their tremendous efforts is available at their website www.rmtlc.org, and COVID-19 resources specifically can be found HERE.
- Podcast #5: The Impact of Chronic Disease & COVID-19 on American Indians and other Indigenous People
***For more on COVID-19 and chronic disease, please visit: COVID-19 INFORMATIONAL RESOURCES FOR HIGH-RISK GROUPS.***