2008 Public Health Action Plan Update: Celebrating Our
First Five Years
Updating the Action Plan:
Celebrating Our First Five Years
To assure long-term success, the need to review and evaluate all aspects
of the plan and adapt it to future conditions must be anticipated. For
example, we must consider the projected demographic shift toward an
increasingly older U.S. population and the expected increase in demand for
health services by the population as a whole. These recognized factors were
considered when the recommendations for this plan were developed. However,
other contingencies resulting from unforeseen social and economic forces may
require significant adaptations over the next two decades.
– A Public Health Action Plan to Prevent Heart Disease and Stroke,
p. 73
As 2008 marks the 5th anniversary of the release of A Public Health
Action Plan to Prevent Heart Disease and Stroke (Action Plan), it is
time to take stock of the recommendations made in 2003 in light of current
data and perspectives. The motivating question is whether the Action
Plan’s 22 recommendations, with the two fundamental requirements of
communication and leadership, remain valid as the key elements of a
comprehensive public health strategy for heart disease and stroke
prevention. If so, their reaffirmation will serve to support continuation of
the work they have guided to the present time. If not, adapting to changing
conditions will redirect action steps to assure the most effective
investment of our collective efforts as we move forward.
Shortly after release of the Action Plan, the National Forum for
Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention became established as a continuing
partnership organization to implement the plan. Anticipating the present
5-year milestone, the Executive Committee of the National Forum proposed,
and the Coordinating Board approved, a process for an update to the plan,
for release at the 6th National Forum meeting in March 2008. This document
is the welcome result.
In addition to a fresh printing of the Action Plan, this update
includes several commentaries that represent diverse perspectives of the
National Forum; restatement (with or without amendment) of the respective
missions, guiding recommendations, proposed action steps and expected
outcomes from each of the National Forum’s seven Implementation Groups; and
the most recent available data corresponding to those presented in the
original printing of the Action Plan.
Development of this update was an inclusive process that engaged, among
others, the membership of each Implementation Group. The great majority of
original recommendations and the action steps proposed to achieve them were
found to remain valid and were reaffirmed without modification. Several
action steps were given new emphasis as each group identified priority
recommendations to be achieved in the 2008–2009 program year. These program
priorities are also presented in the reports from each Implementation Group.
The National Forum is pleased to present this Update to A Public
Health Action Plan to Prevent Heart Disease and Stroke. We trust that it
will be a relevant and useful guide worldwide for individuals and
organizations working to promote cardiovascular health and eradicate
preventable heart disease and stroke.
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Page last reviewed: August 18, 2008
Page last modified: August 18, 2008
Content source: Division for Heart Disease and Stroke
Prevention,
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and
Health Promotion |
