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Successful Business
Strategies to Prevent Heart Disease and Stroke Toolkit
![collage of photos of men and women in the workplace](images/cover.jpg)
Introduction
Heart disease and stroke, the principal components of cardiovascular
disease (CVD), are among the nation's leading causes of death and
disability and the most expensive medical conditions for businesses.1,2
The good news is that employers take preventive action to improve worker
health and productivity and save on health care costs.
In 2002, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
initiated the Heart–Healthy and Stroke–Free at Work project to identify
effective interventions and approaches that can influence employers to buy
prevention–related benefits for cardiovascular health (CVH). The Heart–Healthy and Stroke–Free at Work project produced evidence that certain
health plan benefits and work site programs can improve the health of
employees, prevent heart disease and stroke, and produce cost savings.
During Phase 1 of the Heart–Healthy and Stroke–Free at Work project,
CDC conducted formative research to identify effective interventions and
promising practices for preventing heart disease and stroke (with a focus on
controlling high blood pressure and cholesterol) at the work site, through
health plans, and in health care settings. This research included a
literature review and analysis of CVH interventions. Interviews were also
conducted with six employers/purchasers and three health plan providers that
implemented promising practices with successful outcomes. The results of
this research served as the basis for the following toolkit components:
Reducing the Risk of Heart Disease and Stroke: A Six–Step Guide for
Employers, and Evaluating Health Plan Benefits and Services to Promote
Cardiovascular Health and Prevent Heart Disease and Stroke.
Phase 2 focused on developing the Heart–Healthy and
Stroke–Free Toolkit of Successful Business Strategies to Prevent Heart
Disease and Stroke. It is designed to assist State Heart Disease and
Stroke Prevention Programs (referred to in this guide as state programs) in
making the business case to employers. The toolkit provides state
programs with suggestions about which health benefits, services, and
interventions can improve employee cardiovascular health, prevent heart
disease and stroke, and reduce related costs.
The Role of State Programs in Work Site Heart Disease and Stroke
Prevention Benefits and Services
State programs focus on promoting policy, environmental, and system
changes and on providing education to improve cardiovascular health and
prevent heart disease and stroke in populations throughout the nation. To
meet these goals, state programs partner with and seek to motivate those in
leadership positions who make policy and environmental changes in health
care settings, workplaces, schools, and the community. In the business
community, state programs provide leadership by
- Promoting the importance of comprehensive heart disease and stroke
prevention programs at the state and regional levels, rather than
approaching businesses one–on–one or providing direct services to
work sites.
- Working at the macro level (the highest level of change) through
direct service organizations to provide technical assistance in program
design and evaluation to businesses.
- Disseminating best and promising practices that demonstrate
successful work site policy and environmental changes that realize cost
savings.
- Establishing and coordinating partnerships with organizations that
encourage businesses to implement heart disease and stroke prevention
policies and system changes. (See Section IV for a complete list of
macro–marketing strategies).
The Successful Business Strategies to Prevent Heart Disease and Stroke
Toolkit provides information, materials, and tools that state programs
can reference and distribute to businesses, primarily through employer and
professional organizations. The toolkit also assists state programs
in addressing these CVH priority areas:
- Providing health care coverage for employees and their families that
includes primary and secondary prevention services addressing heart
disease and stroke, as well as rehabilitation services for heart attack
and stroke survivors.
- Assuring detection and follow–up services with employees at the
work site to control high blood pressure and cholesterol.
- Promoting adequate cost coverage or reimbursement for prescription
drugs for preventing heart disease and stroke.
- Assuring implementation of policies that support employee training
and education on signs and symptoms of a heart attack and stroke, the
importance of calling 9–1–1, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
methods, and the use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs).
The toolkit also provides an ideal resource for state programs to
collaborate with other chronic disease partners throughout the state in
developing comprehensive CVH work site programs and cultivating “champions”
who will promote these activities. Employers can contact other agencies and use other resources
referenced in the toolkit for this purpose.
Download the Toolkit and it's Components
One or more of the
following files are available in Portable Document Format (PDF).
Learn more about
PDFs.
References
- National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Preventing Heart Disease
and Stroke: Addressing the Nation's Leading Killers. (CDC
At–A–Glance Report) Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services, 2005.
- American Heart Association. Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics:
2006 Update. Dallas, TX: American Heart Association, 2005.
Other Resources
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*Links to non–Federal organizations are provided solely as a service to our users. Links do not constitute an endorsement of any organization by CDC or the Federal Government, and none should be inferred. The CDC is not responsible for the content of the individual organization Web pages found at this link.
Page last reviewed: January 7, 2008
Page last modified: January 7, 2008
Content source: Division for Heart Disease and Stroke
Prevention,
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and
Health Promotion |
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