Steps: Steps Communities: Chautauqua County, New York

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

The Steps Program in Chautauqua County, New York

CDC’s Steps Program funds states, cities, and tribal groups to implement community-based chronic disease prevention programs to reduce the burden of obesity, diabetes, and asthma by addressing three related risk factors: physical inactivity, poor nutrition, and tobacco use. Steps-funded programs are showing what can be done locally in schools, work sites, communities, and health care settings to promote healthier lifestyles and help people make long-lasting and sustainable changes that can reduce their risk for chronic diseases.

Background

Chautauqua County, located in New York State’s Southern Tier region, has 135,357 residents in a 1,062 square-mile area. About 22% (30,049) of county residents are under 18 years of age and nearly 16% (21,521) are 65 years of age or older. By race and ethnicity, almost 92% are non-Hispanic white, nearly 5% are Hispanic or Latino, and about 4% are members of other racial or ethnic groups. Nearly 15% live below the federal poverty level. The Chautauqua County Steps Program interventions focus on students, employers and employees in work sites, health care providers and institutions, and people living with disabilities, diabetes, pre-diabetes, or asthma.

Spotlight on Success

The Chautauqua County Steps Program, in collaboration with the local Tobacco Control Program and hospital staff members, helped implement a new policy that requires health care providers to directly address patients’ tobacco use and cessation efforts. As of May 2006, more than 547 health care providers were trained on the 2-minute intervention, and the Woman's Christian Association (WCA) Hospital changed its patient intake and education forms to reflect the new process. As a result of the new policy, total calls to the state Smokers’ Quitline from health care provider referrals quadrupled from 2005 to 2006, resulting in 50% more calls than in a neighboring county with similar demographics. In addition, the Chautauqua County Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data showed that adult smoking prevalence decreased from nearly 29% during 2004–2005 to about 24% during 2005–2006. Read this success story in The Steps Program in Action, available at www.cdc.gov/steps/success_stories/pdf/chautauqua.pdf (PDF- 80KB).

Community Partnerships

The Chautauqua County Steps Program addresses the needs of county residents by encouraging more active communities, raising awareness about the importance of good nutrition, and promoting preventive care for patients with diabetes and asthma. A new Active Community Coalition helps meet these needs using a 3-pronged approach—coordinating programs, addressing the built environment, and improving communications and awareness. The coalition’s goal, as its name implies, is to make Chautauqua County a more active community. In addition, a Diabetes Work Group is addressing the need for diabetes resources and provider education throughout the county; 112 health care providers attended a recent continuing education offering. The Dietician Work Group addresses school children’s nutritional and physical activity needs.

Contact

Steps to a HealthierNY–Chautauqua County
Chautauqua County Department of Health
Telephone: 716-664-2802
www.ccsteps.org*

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