Health & Wellness

More than 6 million Americans live with Alzheimer’s, but fewer than half have received an official diagnosis. Close family members know their loved ones best and are typically the first to notice memory issues or cognitive problems but they’re often hesitant to initiate a conversation—even when they know something is wrong.

Talking about the changes you are noticing in your loved one is hard, but an early diagnosis can have significant benefits, including eliminating uncertainty and providing more time for support. Encourage families to start a conversation with their person alongside their doctor - the first step towards a possible ALZ diagnosis, and creating a plan of action.

Using real stories, the goal of “Hopeful Together,” created in partnership with the Alzheimer’s Association, is to spread awareness of the benefits of getting an early diagnosis and encourages open communication between loved ones about cognitive health. An early diagnosis can give you and your family more time to plan together, allows participation in care decisions, you and your family will be able to review and update legal documents, discuss finances and property, and identify your care preferences. The website Alz.org/TimeToTalk and Alz.org/Tiempo for Spanish speakers offers families helpful tools and resources, including information on the disease and the benefits of an early diagnosis.

During a severe season, as many as 41 million Americans get sick from the flu, resulting in up to 710,000 hospitalizations every year. Furthermore, longstanding inequities that put undue burden and barriers on Black and Latinx/Hispanic communities have resulted in flu vaccine coverage disparities and disproportionate impacts of the flu. The Flu Vaccination campaign encourages everyone to get a flu shot to protect themselves, their loved ones, and their communities against the flu. This year, it can also help us avoid missing out on fun moments like spending time with family and friends.

PSAs direct audiences to GetMyFluShot.org for more information, including where to get a flu shot.

Nearly half of all American adults have high blood pressure, yet only about 1 in 4 individuals have their condition under control. Because of the pandemic and persisting health inequities, there is an exacerbated high blood pressure impact on communities of color, particularly for Black, Hispanic/Latine, and Native American adults.

The “Get Down With Your Blood Pressure” campaign teaches adults that self-monitoring their blood pressure is as easy as 4 simple steps: get it, slip it, cuff it, check it. Along with talking to your health care provider on a blood pressure management plan, taking these steps can decrease the incidence of stroke, heart attack, and heart failure.

Visit ManageYourBP.org or BajaTuPresion.org for tools and resources related to self-monitoring your blood pressure and speaking to your health care provider.

Lung cancer is the #1 cancer killer of men and women. Compared to other cancers, it has one of the lowest survival rates, but with the new lung cancer screening, approximately fourteen million people in the U.S. who are at high risk for lung cancer can be saved with this early detection and treatment. If everyone at high risk were screened, close to 48,000 lives could be saved.

“Saved By The Scan” drives current and former smokers to take a lung cancer screening eligibility quiz at SavedByTheScan.org . Since the campaign’s launch in August 2017, 26% of quiz respondents have been eligible for a low-dose CT scan.

The campaign has saved lives and continues to educate.

Young adulthood is a critical time, when many people experience mental health issues and significant stress from life transitions like moving from home and beginning college or a career.

Seize the Awkward inspires young adults to help friends who are struggling with mental health issues (and who may be at risk for suicide) by encouraging them to consistently start and sustain conversations about mental health with their friends.

Recognizing the need for culturally relevant content and resources for Black and Hispanic/Latine young adults, the new iteration of the campaign, “We Can Talk About It,” reflects the lived experiences of a diverse range of young people. Inspired by the insight that young people are surrounded by harmful messages around mental health, the campaign encourages them to counteract these messages by reaching out to friends who may be struggling.

The campaign drives to SeizeTheAwkward.org , where visitors can explore resources and tools to help them start a conversation with a peer around mental health.

More than one in three American adults have prediabetes and are at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes —a serious health condition that can lead to a heart attack or stroke. Of these individuals, more than 80% of people with prediabetes don't know they have it.Thankfully, the vast majority of people with prediabetes can take steps to reduce their risk. Through weight loss, diet changes, and increased physical activity, prediabetes can often be reversed.

These PSAs encourage viewers to visit the campaign website where they can take a one-minute risk test to know where they stand. The campaign highlights the importance of early diagnosis, speaking with your doctor and visiting DoIHavePrediabetes.org to learn more about prediabetes.

Vaping can cause irreversible lung damage and affect kids' brain development, but parents can play a vital role in preventing their kids from using e-cigarettes. Thousands of kids start vaping every day, so it's important for parents to have proactive and ongoing conversations about the dangers of trying e-cigarettes.

The most recent creative, “#DoTheVapeTalk,” capitalizes on popular viral dance video trends, and drives parents to visit TalkAboutVaping.org for tips on when and how to have the vape talk with their kids.

There is a mental health crisis among our country’s youth. Young adolescents (10-14) are experiencing increased rates of mental health challenges and youth of color, in particular, face the additional trauma of systemic racism and greater challenges in accessing the support they need.

Sound It Out uses the power of music to help parents and caregivers have meaningful conversations with their middle schoolers about emotional wellbeing. We paired middle-school aged kids and their caregivers with musical artists, like KAMAUU, Tobe Nwigwe, Empress Of, and Lauren Jauregui, to create an album of exclusive songs inspired by the emotions in their conversations. The album is available at SoundItOutTogether.org and EscuchandoSentimientos.org , where caregivers can also access free, expert-vetted resources to guide conversations with their child about emotional wellbeing.