Bootheel Heart Health Project
An Evidence-Based Practice
Description
The Bootheel Heart Health Project was launched by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services and the CDC to help communities in southeastern Missouri form local Heart Health coalitions. These coalitions help residents reduce illness and death from cardiovascular disease by decreasing smoking, increasing exercise, eating more healthfully, and checking blood cholesterol levels. The local coalitions receive funding to implement community-based interventions tailored to their community. The coalitions help develop walking clubs, aerobic exercise classes, heart healthy cooking demonstrations, community blood pressure and cholesterol screenings, and cardiovascular disease education programs. Local projects have included a weekly newspaper column dedicated to heart health, poster contests at schools, fitness festivals, High Blood Pressure Sundays at churches, and environmental changes such as fitness paths.
Goal / Mission
The goal of the Bootheel Heart Health Project was to reduce risk factors for cardiovascular disease and decrease morbidity and mortality due to cardiovascular disease.
Results / Accomplishments
Communities with local Bootheel Heart Health coalitions were compared to control communities in a five year population-based study. Intervention communities had significant reductions in physical inactivity when compared to the control communities (p = 0.03) and significantly higher reports of cholesterol screening within the past 2 years (p = 0.04). The prevalence of overweight increased less in communities with coalitions than in control communities (p = 0.07). Approximately one quarter of residents in the intervention areas reported being aware of their local coalition. Residents who were aware of the local coalition had more favorable prevalence rates for physical inactivity, fruit and vegetable consumption, overweight, and cholesterol screening.
About this Promising Practice
Organization(s)
Missouri Department of Health, Centers for Disease Control
Primary Contact
Ross Brownson, PhD
Department of Community Health
School of Public Health
Saint Louis University
3663 Lindell Blvd
St. Louis, MO 63108
(314) 977-8110
brownson@slu.edu
Department of Community Health
School of Public Health
Saint Louis University
3663 Lindell Blvd
St. Louis, MO 63108
(314) 977-8110
brownson@slu.edu
Topics
Health / Heart Disease & Stroke
Health / Physical Activity
Health / Physical Activity
Organization(s)
Missouri Department of Health, Centers for Disease Control
Source
American Journal of Public Health
Date of publication
Feb 1996
Date of implementation
1989
Geographic Type
Rural
Location
Missouri
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