Modifications to Objectives and Subobjectives

The following discussion highlights the modifications, including changes, additions, and deletions, to this focus area's objectives and subobjectives as a result of the midcourse review.

As stated in Healthy People 2010: "Most developmental objectives have a potential data source with a reasonable expectation of data points by the year 2004 to facilitate setting 2010 targets in the mid-decade review. Developmental objectives with no baseline at the midcourse will be dropped." Accordingly, at the midcourse review some developmental objectives and subobjectives were deleted due to lack of a data source. However, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the agencies that serve as the leads for the Healthy People 2010 initiative will consider ways to ensure that these public health issues retain prominence despite their current lack of data.

No midcourse review changes were made to the wording of the objectives or subobjectives. No new objectives or subobjectives were added. Three objectives were deleted due to lack of data sources: patient and family education in the health care setting (7-7), patient satisfaction with education received in a health care setting (7-8), and health care organization sponsorship of community health promotion activities (7-9). Twelve subobjectives within the objective for culturally appropriate and linguistically competent community health programs (7-11) were deleted due to a lack of data sources: access to quality health services (7-11a); arthritis, osteoporosis, and chronic back conditions (7-11b); chronic kidney disease (7-11d); diabetes (7-11e); disability and secondary conditions (7-11f); food safety (7-11j); medical product safety (7-11k); health communication (7-11l); injury and violence prevention (7-11p); public health infrastructure (7-11w); respiratory diseases (7-11x); and vision and hearing (7-11bb).

The school nurse-to-student ratio (at least 1:750) for elementary schools (7-4d) became measurable. In 2000, 53 percent of elementary schools had a nurse-to-student ratio of greater than 1 to 750, and the target was set at 60 percent.¹ The data source for this objective, the School Health Policies and Programs Study, is anticipated to collect another data point by the end of the decade.

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