Background on the Health Communication Focus Area in Healthy People 2010
Healthy People 2010 is about improving the health of each individual, the health of communities, and the health of the Nation. It is based on a systematic approach to health improvement. Healthy People 2010 has two overarching goals: increase the quality and years of healthy life, and eliminate health disparities. These goals have been elaborated in 467 objectives in 28 focus areas. Collectively, they provide a thorough picture of the Nation's health at the beginning of the decade, set forth national goals and targets to be achieved by 2010, and provide a framework to monitor progress over time.
Healthy People is a collaborative effort managed by the Office
of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP) of the U.S. Department
of Health and Human Services (HHS). Healthy People 2010 represents
the third time HHS has developed 10-year health objectives for the
Nation. The Healthy People initiative began in 1979 with Healthy
People: The Surgeon General's Report on Health Promotion and
Disease Prevention and was followed in 1980 with Promoting
Health/Preventing Disease: Objectives for the Nation, and in
1990 by Healthy People 2000.
Each focus area in Healthy People 2010 has a designated
lead agency. ODPHP is the lead agency for the Health Communication
Focus Area. The main responsibilities of the lead agency are to
coordinate activities related to the measurement and implementation
of the objectives in its focus area and generally to promote awareness
of and action on the issues represented by the objectives. As the
focus area lead agency, ODPHP typically convenes meetings, coordinates
activities, and encourages collaboration among organizations and
individuals working on issues and projects related to the health
communication objectives. ODPHP convenes the Health Communication
Focus Area Work Group as needed to provide assistance with focus
area activities. ODPHP also coordinates and prepares progress reviews
for the Health Communicaton Focus Area throughout the decade, including
the mid-course review scheduled for 2005. A Health Communication
Focus Area progress review was held June 24, 2003. ODPHP works with
other HHS agencies and offices, State and local government agencies,
universities, nonprofit organizations, healthcare providers, public
health professionals, professional and trade associations, individual
researchers, health education professionals, and any other individuals
or organizations committed to making progress on the health communication
objectives.
The objectives were not intended to be the responsibility of the government alone, nor indeed can they be achieved solely through Federal efforts. Because of the nature of the issues raised by the objectives, many stakeholders share responsibility for taking action to achieve progress. The Federal Government and HHS in particular may have indirect or little influence on some of the factors underlying the objectives. Partnerships and collaboration across many sectors will be key to the achievement of the objectives by the end of the decade.
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