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2008 Public Health Action Plan Update: Celebrating Our First Five YearsCommentary From the American Heart AssociationMark A. Schoeberl, MPA As the theme of our 6th National Forum for Heart Disease and Stroke suggests, we are at a nexus in history between celebrating our accomplishments and embracing the tremendous challenges we continue to face in realizing our shared vision of a heart-healthy and stroke-free society. Earlier this year, our colleagues at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released data that show that age-adjusted death rates have fallen 25.8% for coronary heart disease and 24.4% for stroke. This success should not be attributed to any one organization, government program, or new initiative. Rather it is the result of the individual and collective efforts of an extraordinary cast of committed partners working together. And the role of National Forum cannot go unrecognized. The National Forum — guided by the recommendations and action steps outlined in A Public Health Action Plan to Prevent Heart Disease and Stroke (Action Plan) — inspires, instigates, and sustains the kind of coordination and collaboration necessary to achieving such success. As American Heart Association President Dr. Robert Bonow said when the Action Plan was released, “We already have much of the science and knowledge to help prevent and treat heart disease and stroke. Now we have a national vision and roadmap for the public health community to help guide its efforts and strategies to give Americans a healthier future. This plan will also help the American Heart Association reach its strategic goal of reducing heart disease, stroke, and risk by 25% by 2010 — a goal shared by many of our partners in the public health community.” Just as we rightfully celebrate this milestone in the reduction in mortality associated with coronary heart disease and stroke, we are also keenly aware that not all sectors of society benefited equally. Health outcomes continue to vary significantly on the basis of race/ethnicity, sex, socioeconomic status, educational status, and geographic location. As National Forum members and leaders in cardiovascular health, we must remain committed to addressing disparities within the United States and around the world. And while the news is good relating to deaths from coronary heart disease and stroke, it is not so good with regard to risk factors. Reducing risk factors has proven difficult. The most recent National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and National Health Interview Survey show that uncontrolled hypertension has declined 16%, cholesterol 19.2%, and tobacco use 15.4% — short of our goal of reducing risk by 25% by 2010. More sobering are the data that indicate that the rate of physical inactivity declined only 2.5% and the prevalence of obesity continues to increase at an annual rate of 1.39%. We have the opportunity to continue to build on the solid foundation of the National Forum and to expand and grow successful collaborations that can confront and overcome the tremendous challenges we continue to face in our journey toward a heart-healthy and stroke-free society. The American Heart Association is extremely proud of the role we have played in the development of the Action Plan, the establishment of the National Forum, and the contributions we were able to make towards our shared efforts and successes. We remain committed to the mission and vision of the National Forum and look forward to being a part of this important collaboration that will have a significant role in our ultimate achievement of all of the goals in Healthy People 2010.
Page last reviewed: August 18, 2008 |
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