We have witnessed a great deal of progress in public health and medicine since our Nation first embarked on the national planning process for the Healthy People initiative. The process began in 1979 with Healthy People: The Surgeon General’s Report on Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, which was followed in 1990 by Healthy People 2000. Healthy People 2010 represents the third time that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has developed 10-year health objectives for the Nation.
Healthy People 2010 reflects the scientific advances that have taken place over the past 20 years in preventive medicine, disease surveillance, vaccine and therapeutic development, and information technology. It also mirrors the changing demographics of our country, the changes that have taken place in health care, and the growing impact of global forces on our national health status. Healthy People 2010 incorporates input from a broad cross-section of people. Scientific experts from many Federal agencies took the lead in developing the focus areas and objectives. The Secretary’s Council on National Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Objectives for 2010 and the Healthy People Steering Committee provided guidance to steer the process. The HHS Office of Public Health and Science, particularly the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, expertly managed the process. But perhaps most important to the success of this effort was the overwhelming and enthusiastic contribution made by the Healthy People Consortium and the public. We received more than 11,000 comments from people in every State by fax, Internet, letter, and in person through several public meetings.
The knowledge, commitment, and collaboration of these groups have combined to produce national health objectives that are even more comprehensive than their predecessors. There are 467 objectives in 28 focus areas, making Healthy People 2010 an encyclopedic compilation of health improvement opportunities for the next decade. Building on two decades of success in Healthy People initiatives, Healthy People 2010 is poised to address the concerns of the 21st century. Two major goals reflect the Nation’s changing demographics. The first goal, which addresses the fact that we are growing older as a Nation, is to increase the quality and years of healthy life. The second goal, which addresses the diversity of our population, is to eliminate health disparities. And, for the first time, a set of Leading Health Indicators will help individuals and communities target the actions to improve health. The Leading Health Indicators also will help communities track the success of these actions.
I sincerely appreciate the number of people, institutions, and organizations that have worked together to create this important document. But our journey has just begun. I encourage you to stay the course as we pursue the vision of Healthy People 2010 to create tomorrow’s healthier people today.
David Satcher, M.D., Ph.D.
Assistant Secretary for
Health and
Surgeon General