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Partnership Pulse
| November/December 2013
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The staff and Board at Partnership for Prevention wish you a happy and healthy New Year!
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Partnership Welcomes Elissa Myers as New CEO
| .jpg) Partnership has brought Elissa Myers onboard as the new chief executive officer. Ms. Myers is a seasoned association executive who has extensive experience helping organizations achieve their mission. Rose Matulionis, Partnership's recent interim executive director, will remain on staff as a senior advisor. Welcome Elissa!
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24th Annual America's Health Rankings® Now Available
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The United Health Foundation, along with the American Public Health Association and Partnership for Prevention, has released the 24th edition of America's Health Rankings®. Every year, a comprehensive set of behaviors, public and health policies, community and environmental conditions, and clinical care data is analyzed to provide a holistic view of the health of the nation. It is the longest running annual assessment of the nation's health on a state-by-state basis. This year's report includes:
* Analysis of our country's top health improvements and challenges over time
* Updated national and state-specific scores and rankings
* Commentaries from leading national health experts, including Dr. Eduardo Sanchez, Partnership for Prevention's Board Chair
* Online tools available at www.americashealthrankings.org, making it easy to access, compare, share, and act upon data
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Meeting of the National Commission on Prevention Priorities | |
 The National Commission on Prevention Priorities (NCPP) met in December to review progress on the NCPP's two projects: 1) an online resource to help communities select evidence-based interventions to improve physical activity or reduce tobacco use and 2) an updated ranking of 25 recommended clinical preventive services. Commission members and guests from the CDC, NACCHO, and NC Prevention Partners previewed and provided input on the online resource, which is centered around an online tool that provides customizable results, and draft clinical rankings. Commissioner input will be used to refine the online resource and finalize the clinical rankings, both of which will be available in early 2014.
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Nutrition: Partnership and more than 125 other public health organizations urged the farm bill conference committee to work in a bipartisan manner to protect and strengthen our nation's nutrition programs. Steep cuts and harmful policy changes to nutrition programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly Food Stamps), would negatively affect millions of seniors and children.
Tobacco: Partnership and 24 other national organizations asked the FDA to begin the process to establish a tobacco product standard that would ultimately prohibit menthol as a characterizing flavor in cigarettes. Read the public comment here. |
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FDA Action Could Eliminate Trans Fat from American Diet
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In November, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) made a preliminary.jpg) determination that partially hydrogenated oils (the major source of trans fat in the American diet) are no longer "generally recognized as safe." Much research has shown that trans fats negatively affect blood cholesterol levels and increase the risk of developing heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. Experts have estimated that consumption of trans fats may result in 30,000 premature deaths per year in the United States. Although consumption of trans fat has decreased through regulation and voluntary action by the food industry, many American foods still contain trans fat. If the FDA's decision is finalized, partially hydrogenated oils could not be used without FDA permission and would be virtually eliminated from the US food supply.
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New Prevention Recommendations | |
The Community Preventive Services Task Force recently .jpg) recommended
clinical decision-support systems to prevent cardiovascular disease (CVD). Health care providers use these computer-based information systems to implement clinical guidelines at the point of care. They provide tailored patient assessments and evidence-based treatment recommendations. This recommendation is based on sufficient evidence of effectiveness in improving screening for CVD risk factors and practices for CVD-related care.
In November and December, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) issued recommendation statements for two services.
Oral Cancer: The USPSTF found insufficient evidence to recommend screening for oral cancer in asymptomatic adults (I grade, final statement).
Breast Cancer: The USPSTF also released a draft recommendation statement for BRCA-related cancers in women.
* The USPSTF recommends primary care providers screen women who have family members with certain cancers to determine if there an increased risk of having harmful mutations in breast cancer susceptibility genes (BRCA1 or BRCA2). Women with positive screening results should receive genetic counseling and BRCA testing if indicated by the counseling (B grade).
* The USPSTF recommends against routine genetic counseling or BRCA testing for women whose family history is not associated with an increased risk for potentially harmful mutations in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes (D grade). |
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New Tool Helps Public Health Departments Identify Evidence-based Interventions
| | The Community Guide and the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) have developed a tool to help public health departments seeking accreditation identify evidence-based interventions. Public health accreditation encourages, and sometimes requires, health departments to implement evidence-based interventions. The Crosswalk provides two tables that match PHAB measures and required documentation with Community Guide interventions. Click here to learn more about the Crosswalk and how to use it. |
Prevention Institute and CDC Develop Resource to Advance Health Equity
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Prevention Institute has released a new resource, developed in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to reduce disparities in chronic disease health outcomes and advance health equity. The Health Equity Guide is designed to help practitioners and health advocates develop, enhance, and apply the critical skills necessary for advancing health equity in their community. It includes information on foundational principles of public health practice and considerations for evidence-based community prevention strategies (i.e. tobacco-free living strategies, health food and beverage strategies, and active living strategies). It also highlights examples of successful equity-oriented approaches to improving public health and reducing disparities, drawn from communities across the country.
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New CDC Program Trains Employers to Keep Workers Healthy
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The CDC has developed a new program that provides employers with the knowledge and tools to promote good health in their workplaces. Work@health is designed to train employers on how to improve the health of their workers and their families through science-based prevention and wellness strategies using interventions that principally address chronic health conditions; specifically, heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, arthritis, and obesity. To apply for the program, visit http://www.cdc.gov/workathealth/get-involved.html.
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Registration is Open for Health Promotion Conference
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 Register now for the 24th Annual Art and Science of Health Promotion Conference to be held March 24-28, 2014. The conference brings together more than 600 professionals with a passion for health promotion - individuals who represent the most successful programs in workplace, clinical, educational and community settings. The three-day core conference will feature three inspiring and thought-provoking keynote addresses, concurrent sessions presented by the top scientists and practitioners in the field, plus, many opportunities to collaborate through interactive discussions, networking sessions, fitness activities and social events.
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Partnership for Prevention was founded in 1991 by leaders dedicated to making disease prevention and health promotion a national priority and America a healthier nation. Partnership seeks to increase understanding and use of clinical preventive services and population-based prevention to improve health. |
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