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Preventing Chronic Disease: Public Health Research, Practice and Policy

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Emerging Infectious Diseases Journal
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Volume 1: No. 2, April 2004

SPECIAL TOPICS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
ORIGINAL RESEARCH: FEATURED ABSTRACT FROM THE 18TH NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON CHRONIC DISEASE PREVENTION AND CONTROL
Heart-healthy and Stroke-free: Making the Business Case to Employers and Purchasers for Preventing Heart Disease and Stroke


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DM Matson-Koffman, VA Anwuri, D Orenstein, K Shore, L Agin, SA Garfinkel, LA Sokler, NB Watkins, GA Mensah

Suggested citation for this article: Matson-Koffman DM, Anwuri VA, Orenstein D, Shore K, Agin L, Garfinkel SA, et al. Heart-healthy and stroke-free: making the business case to employers and purchasers for preventing heart disease and stroke [abstract]. Prev Chronic Dis [serial online] 2004 Apr [date cited]. Available from: URL: http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2004/
apr/03_0034l.htm
.

PEER REVIEWED

The objective of this study was to highlight 2 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) initiatives aimed at educating employers about health benefits and interventions that will have the greatest impact on preventing heart disease and stroke and reducing associated costs.

The CDC conducted a literature review and met with the National Business Group on Health to present effective interventions and promising practices for controlling heart disease and stroke and related risk factors. The CDC is also working with the American Institute of Research to develop a toolkit for states that will contain similar information.

We conducted a literature review using the Internet and ABI/Inform, LexisNexis, Medline, OVID, and PubMed databases. We identified 55 articles for health care and 22 for work site settings.

Findings suggest that the most promising interventions for improving the prevention and control of high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol in health care settings include quality care teams and protocols that follow national treatment and prevention guidelines, the use of physician and patient reminders via automated record systems, and patient education combined with quality improvement goals. In the work site setting, the most promising interventions are individual counseling and follow-up, combined with environmental supports such as health risk appraisals, wellness communications, health education classes, and access to healthy food choices and exercise facilities. On the basis of information from 9 organizations, the return-on-investment estimates ranged from $1.40 to $4.90 in savings per dollar spent for work site health management interventions.

To have the greatest impact on preventing heart disease and stroke, employers should consider individual risk-reduction counseling for high-risk employees within the context of a comprehensive systems-level approach and the most promising environmental health promotion interventions.

Corresponding Author: Dyann Matson-Koffman, DrPH, MPH, Public Health Educator/Behavioral Scientist, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cardiovascular Health Branch, Division of Adult and Community Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, 4770 Buford Hwy NE, Mail Stop K-47, Atlanta, GA 30341-3717. Telephone: 770-488-8002. E-mail: dmatsonkoffman@cdc.gov.

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The opinions expressed by authors contributing to this journal do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Public Health Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the authors’ affiliated institutions. Use of trade names is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by any of the groups named above.


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