Moving into Action: Promoting Heart–Healthy and Stroke–Free Communities

A Message from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Heart disease and stroke, the principal components of cardiovascular disease, are the nation's first and third leading causes of death. They are also major causes of morbidity and health disparities. Millions of Americans are at risk for these largely preventable conditions. Advances in science have been considerable, but the challenge of translating this knowledge into action remains.

To address this need, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in collaboration with the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association and the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, along with a host of other partners, developed A Public Health Action Plan to Prevent Heart Disease and Stroke. The Action Plan, released in 2003, calls for engagement by all sectors of society to support the prevention and control of heart disease and stroke. Moving Into Action: Promoting Heart-Healthy and Stroke-Free Communities suggests how certain sectors of society—policymakers, employers, and health care leaders—can take steps in this direction.

Can we imagine a world where our communities are designed to allow for safe physical activity? Where worksites and school cafeterias provide affordable, heart–healthy food options? Where the environment of public spaces is smoke–free? Where health care purchasers universally include preventive services, coverage for prescription drugs for heart disease, and counseling for therapeutic lifestyle changes? Where large and small health systems implement national guidelines recommended by federal agencies and national voluntary organizations? These scenarios are possible. The real question is, how can we turn these scenarios into a reality?

Becoming engaged in preventing heart disease and stroke is a worthy cause for everyone, especially for those who can influence decisions that affect communities across the country. By sharing ideas, experiences, expertise, and by taking action now, we can effectively combat the persistent burden of heart disease and stroke and their related disparities in our society.

George A. Mensah, MD, FACP, FACC
Acting Director
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

A Message from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association

When A Public Health Action Plan for Heart Disease and Stroke was first released at the Steps for a Healthier US Conference in April 2003, the American Heart Association's President, Dr. Robert Bonow, observed that "this plan will help the public health community make the nation's number one health threat a number one priority. We already have much science and knowledge to help prevent and treat heart disease and stroke. Now we have a national vision and roadmap for the public health community to help guide its efforts, and strategies to give Americans a healthier future."

As the nation's largest voluntary health organization fighting cardiovascular disease, the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association recognized that the release of the Action Plan was only the first step in a journey that to be successful would require strong partnerships and the active involvement of a number of government agencies and other organizations. We are pleased to be working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and our public health colleagues at the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials to help guide the projects and activities that continue to take place as a result of the release of the Action Plan.

Once such project is Moving Into Action: Promoting Heart-Healthy and Stroke-Free Communities. This document can help elected policy makers, public employers, and health care leaders across the country become more meaningfully engaged in heart disease and stroke prevention.

Once again, we applaud the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the release of this publication and for their continued commitment to A Public Health Action Plan to Prevent Heart Disease and Stroke. This is a significant step forward in furthering the vision of the Action Plan and the achievement of our shared goal of reducing heart disease, stroke and their risk factors.

Rose Marie Robertson, MD
Chief Science Officer
American Heart Association

A Message from the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO)

As one of the lead partners supporting A Public Health Action Plan to Prevent Heart Disease and Stroke, we are very pleased, along with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, to present Moving into Action: Promoting Heart-Healthy and Stroke-Free Communities.

Heart disease and stroke are the first and third leading causes of death in the United States and continue to pose a formidable challenge to the public health community. We cannot address this challenge alone. Only through collaboration with elected officials, employers, health care leaders, and others can we adequately address the continuing burden of heart disease and stroke.

ASTHO is the national nonprofit organization representing the state and territorial public health agencies. ASTHO's members, the chief health officials of these agencies, are dedicated to formulating sound public health policy and to assuring excellence in state–based public health practice. We hope this document can serve as an important resource for those interested in addressing heart disease and stroke in their states. ASTHO is committed to this public health issue and we will continue to strive for policies that promote heart–healthy and stroke–free states and local communities.

George E. Hardy Jr., MD, MPH
Executive Director
Association of State and Territorial Health Officials
 

Date last reviewed: 05/12/2006
Content source: Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion