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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

William C. Andress, DrPH, MPH, CHES and Stafford Rorke, DPhil, FACSM. School of Health Sciences, Oakland University, Hannah Hall, Rochester, MI 48309, 248-370-4313, andress@oakland.edu

Students enrolled in an undergraduate course in community health in southeastern Michigan conducted interviews at discrete non-governmental social service, health, and fitness facilities to determine their contribution in making healthier communities. Their summative reports suggested that knowledge regarding Healthy People 2010 goals and objectives was inadequate at the grass roots community level. The validity of this observation was tested by interviewing 160 organizations regarding: 1) Awareness of Healthy People 2010 as a health blueprint for the nation, and 2) Ability to integrate the document's specific focus area objectives with the mission of the organization. A preponderance (>85%) of fitness centers, family planning clinics, volunteer organizations, assisted living homes, nursing homes, 12-step programs, and other non-governmental health and social service organizations were unable to identify specific Healthy People 2010 objectives within their primary focus area. This is not surprising since less than a third of respondents (28%) affirmed awareness of the Healthy People 2010 publication. And of those indicating familiarity, only slightly more than 50% (n=25) had ever read portions of it although the entire document is readily available on the Internet. (www.healthypeople.gov)If our findings are generalizable across the United States, the implications are disturbing. There appears to be a large disconnect between national initiatives generated by federal agencies and the non-governmental health organizations that interface at the community level. Possible solutions to this dilemma are offered so that “Healthy People 2010” can become an operational handbook for all health and social service organizations operating at the grass roots level.

Learning Objectives: