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State Program: Connecticut
Capacity Building
The Connecticut Department of Health began
receiving funds from CDC in 2000 to support a heart disease and stroke
prevention program.
Burden of Heart Disease and Stroke
- Heart disease is the leading cause of
death in Connecticut, accounting for 8,815 deaths or approximately 29% of
the state's deaths in 2002. (National Vital Statistics Report 2004;53(5)).
- Stroke is the third leading cause of
death, accounting for 1,861 deaths or approximately 6% of the state's
deaths in 2002. (National
Vital Statistics Report 2004;53(5)).
- According to Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)
survey results in 2003, adults in Connecticut reported the following
risk factors for heart disease and stroke:
- 24.1% had high blood pressure
- 30.6% of those screened reported having high blood cholesterol
- 5.9% had diabetes
- 18.6% were current smokers
- 54.8% were overweight or obese (Body Mass Index greater than or
equal to 25.0)
- 21% reported no exercise in the prior 30 days
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Approximately 77% had one or more of these six risk factors.
Key Responsibilities
- Facilitate collaboration among public and private sector partners,
such as managed care organizations, health insurers, federally funded
health centers,
businesses, unions, school systems, priority population organizations,
and emergency response agencies.
- Define the cardiovascular disease (CVD)
burden and assess existing population–based strategies for primary and
secondary prevention of heart disease and stroke within the state.
- Develop and update a comprehensive
state plan for heart disease and stroke prevention with emphasis on
developing heart–healthy policies, changing physical and social
environments, and eliminating disparities (e.g., based on geography,
gender, race or ethnicity, or income).
- Identify culturally appropriate
approaches to promote cardiovascular health with racial, ethnic, and
other priority populations.
- Use population–based public health
approaches to increase public awareness of the urgency of addressing CVD, the signs and symptoms of heart disease and stroke, and the need
to call 9–1–1.
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State Highlights
- The program is coordinating the
state-level Connecticut Steering Committee. The members of the committee
represent health care and government agencies, health care providers,
businesses, professional organizations and minority health groups.
- The program has a strong relationship
with the Connecticut Business and Industry Association. The program has
partnered with the Association in developing a survey to assess employer's
attitudes toward policies and environments affecting CVD risk factors.
- The program funds Cardiovascular Health
Pilot Projects to implement policy and environmental changes on risk
factors for heart disease and stroke in community settings.
To view county–level data for Connecticut, visit our interactive map site at
http://www.cdc.gov/cvh/maps/statemaps.htm.
Date last reviewed:
05/12/2006
Content source: Division for Heart Disease and Stroke
Prevention,
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and
Health Promotion |
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