Process developed to highlight three steps for blood pressure screening in community settings in Palau: identifying high blood pressure reading; navigate patient to a secondary site to reassess patient for hypertension; refer patient to provider for hypertension diagnosis.
Education materials developed for partners to educate patients of priority population. The materials covered information on the definition of hypertension, what are the current guidelines, and listed facts specific to Guam's population.
A program guide with information on available programs and a health planner for patients to track goals, progress, doctor's appointments, and next steps.
Agreement form that includes information about the program for patients to review before enrolling.
Developed a process for CDEMS to track patients’ hypertension progress at the community health centers, outpatient department, and emergency room with hypertension clinics.
Questionnaire for weekly phone interview with participants enrolled in the peer coaching program.
Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention in the Pacific Territories heart disease, stroke prevention, american heart month, cardiovascular health, chronic disease, pacific territories, environmental infrastructure, disease epidemic, tobacco use, mental health, united states, physical activity, health problems, leading cause of death, health conditions, american heart, cardiovascular disease, chest pain, type of heart disease, coronary heart disease, heart health, flow to the heart, risk of heart disease, heart disease and stroke, prevent heart disease, astho, association of state and territorial health officials Marcus Plescia Heart disease and stroke prevention in the pacific territories. Each February, American Heart Month raises awareness for heart disease and cardiovascular health—a matter that warrants attention year-round. In ASTHO’s 2023 Environmental Scan, territorial health officials highlighted chronic disease prevention and treatment as top current public health program and service priorities, emphasizing heart disease and stroke as key focus areas. As such, I want to highlight heart disease as a public health issue in the U.S. territories, which have played an important role in ASTHO’s chronic disease prevention efforts. Several years ago, ASTHO CEO Mike Fraser pointed out Mark Durand’s work in the Pacific territories. Durand developed a list of prioritized chronic disease-related health policies and a matrix to map progress across six jurisdictions. This ultimately provided the basis for ASTHO’s Essential Policies for Chronic Disease Prevention and Control—which served as a foundation for ASTHO’s Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention (HDSP) Learning Collaborative—and led to the launch of ASTHO’s technical packages in all program areas. Heart Disease and Stroke Prevalence in the Pacific In the United States, heart disease is the first leading cause of death and stroke is the fifth. Disparities exist across several demographic lines, including race, ethnicity, and nationality. U.S.-Affiliated Pacific Islands (USAPIs) adults have the second-highest death rate from cardiovascular disease in the country. Additionally, in all USAPIs involved in ASTHO’s HDSP Learning Collaborative—Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), Guam, and Republic of Palau—heart disease and stroke are in the top three leading causes of death, with cases soaring in recent years. The U.S. territories are home to small and diverse populations with rich history, cultural practices, and languages. Unfortunately, the long-lasting impacts of colonialism have weakened the social, cultural, and environmental infrastructure that has historically protected the health of USAPIs communities. In recent decades, health threats have shifted from infectious diseases to preventable chronic diseases; the Pacific Island Health Officers Association even declared a Regional State of Emergency in 2010 because of their non-communicable disease epidemic. Since this declaration, there has been increased interest in and efforts toward policy and health system interventions in USAPIs, which ASTHO has been proud to support through our learning collaborative. Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Learning Collaborative: Key Accomplishments Since 2013, ASTHO has partnered with CDC to develop and sustain the HDSP Learning Collaborative, focused on improving rates of hypertension. In all, 36 participating states, territories, and freely associated states have implemented innovative strategies through systems, policy, and quality improvement processes. Historically, this learning collaborative—open to both states and islands—has focused on the design and implementation of hypertension control programs. In USAPIs, program efforts evolved to address and improve cardiovascular health more broadly. Although USAPIs workplans differ from each other, they all have advanced health equity by understanding community needs and adapting to health system capacity. Table-CMO Heart Disease Stroke Prevention in the Pacific Tools for Change/Spotlight-CMO Heart Disease Stroke Prevention in the Pacific website yes
Tools and Strategies for Building a Sustainable Accreditation Infrastructure Webinar Padding Block - Medium Sustaining public health accreditation is essential for health departments to uphold consistent quality, accountability, and performance over time. Yet many agencies face challenges that can disrupt progress—such as staff turnover, shifting agency priorities, and changes in funding. This webinar explores how accreditation teams can proactively address these challenges by using ASTHO’s Guide for Sustainable Public Health Accreditation to develop tailored sustainability plans. The ASTHO team walks through the guide and shares practical strategies for embedding sustainability into agency operations. The session also highlights two PHIG recipients that have developed plans to strengthen their accreditation infrastructure and maintain momentum beyond each accreditation cycle. Whether you're preparing for reaccreditation or looking to build long-term capacity, this webinar offers actionable insights and peer-driven examples to support your journey. Learning Objectives Explore ASTHO’s Guide for Sustainable Public Health Accreditation and learn how it can be used to develop tailored sustainability plans. Identify practical strategies for building and maintaining accreditation infrastructure. Learn from peer health departments as they share their experiences developing plans to support long-term accreditation success. Speakers Rich Hazeltine, MBA, LSSGB, CPLP, SPHR, Quality Improvement & Accreditation Manager, Southern Nevada Health District Marilyn M. Trevino, CPM, Performance Excellence Coordinator (PM/QI + Informatics), Montana Department of Health and Human Services Richard Knecht, MPH, Accreditation Coordinator, Montana Department of Health and Human Services Resources Slide Deck (PDF) Transcript - Tools and Strategies for Building a Sustainable Accreditation Infrastructure OE22-2203 PHIG article yes
This resource was developed by Well-Ahead Louisiana for their community outreach efforts around SMBP.
Learn about federal health agencies' plans to operate during the upcoming government shutdown in this legislative alert.
Learn how public health agencies can leverage community impact statements to showcase their critical work.
The PLF was developed in close consultation with expert legal drafters and health policy experts in Pacific Island countries (including the U.S. Affiliated Pacific Islands), along with development partners and academic institutions. The tool was finalized in 2021, and is intended to help strengthen jurisdiction laws that regulate NCD risk factors.
This patient guide, developed by the Pittsburg County Health Department, offers information and tips for achieving lifestyle modifications to support self-management of blood pressure, including physical activity and stress.
The Oklahoma Foundation for Medical Quality published this one-page document with guidance on accurate blood pressure measurement and a protocol for clinicians to use with patients who have elevated blood pressure and are not currently diagnosed with hypertension.
This document features opportunities and resources for state health departments to support health systems change and the goals of several federal and national initiatives of the Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention (DHDSP), the Million Hearts® Initiative, and the CDC 6|18 Initiative.
The West Allis Health Department in Wisconsin developed this employee screening record for blood pressure measurement. It is complete and comprehensive, including check off sections and a section for comments by the evaluator with dates.
This resource, from UT Health Northeast, lays out the protocol and flowchart for the health system's hypertension program. The program includes referral to services and options for both patients that do or do not commit to the hypertension program.
This resource documents the policy and procedure of the Jasper Newton County Public Health Department's Home Blood Pressure Monitoring Program. This program, in collaboration with the Texas Department of State Health Service's Self-Measured Blood Pressure monitoring project, has the intended purpose of improving blood pressure control among patients in the county.
The Monroe Clinic in Wisconsin developed a protocol for handing off a patient with hypertension within the clinic setting for registered nurses, liscensed practical nurses, medical assistant, and certified nurses assistants. The protocol includes guidance on when, how, and why to refer patients with different blood pressure readings.
This resource is a snapshot of the work North Dakota performed as a part of the Year 4 Cohort of the ASTHO Million Hearts Learning Collaborative. It includes details on their priority population, partners, aim statement, evidence-based practices used, project success, and potential for spread and scalability.