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Heart to Heart

An Effective Practice

Description

Heart to Heart was a 5-year, community-based, chronic disease prevention project to improve cardiovascular health. The project worked with community groups to develop worksite wellness programs, implement grocery store point of purchase programs, and publish health promotion messages in local newspapers, community bulletins, and on local radio programming. The project also included community campaigns to encourage physical fitness, walking, smoking cessation, and shopping for nutritional foods. Heart to Heart created walking groups to provide supportive relationships and encourage group exercise among sedentary adults. Community education with blood cholesterol screening was available at worksites, public areas, and special events. Nutrition and cooking demonstrations were held at worksites, churches, and on televised broadcasts. The project also educated health care providers on the strategies and activities of the program.

Goal / Mission

The goal of the Heart to Heart program is to reduce risk factors of cardiovascular disease.

Results / Accomplishments

More than 31,000 participants were involved in 585 activities through the Heart to Heart project. In a pre- and post-intervention comparison, there was an increase in community awareness of risk factors. Participants in the intervention group had lower cholesterol levels and smoking rates following the intervention. The prevalence of current smoking declined significantly among men in the intervention group.

About this Promising Practice

Organization(s)
University of South Carolina Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior
Primary Contact
Robert Goodman
Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior
Arnold School of Public Health
University of South Carolina
800 Sumter St., Room 216
Columbia, SC 29208
803-777-7096
http://www.sph.sc.edu/hpeb/default.htm
Topics
Health / Heart Disease & Stroke
Health / Physical Activity
Organization(s)
University of South Carolina Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior
Source
American Journal of Health Promotion
Date of publication
1995
Location
Florence, SC
For more details
Target Audience
Adults