Uniting physical activity, nutrition and tobacco prevention for a comprehensive chronic disease prevention campaign

The Oregon Department of Human Services, Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention Section, adopted the Healthy Places, Healthy People Framework. This strategy uses policy, systems and environment change to ensure that all Oregonians have access to evidence-based screenings and self-management, healthy food and physical activity, and minimal exposure or access to tobacco, unhealthy foods and promotions of unhealthy choices.

Ultimately, achieving the policy, system and social norms changes necessary to reach these goals requires education, engagement and action of public policy makers, policy makers at facilities and organizations, community influencers and advocates, and segments of the general public. For example, a key strategy is to create Healthy Worksites, which requires corporate/organizational policy change as well as employee and customer support—and ideally public policy change to create smokefree workplaces, breastfeeding-friendly worksites, etc.

To engage key audiences, build support and minimize opposition, DHS is developing a coordinated communication strategy that: 1. Links health behaviors (eating better, moving more, quitting tobacco) that have traditionally been addressed through separate campaigns by establishing them as the best way to prevent most chronic diseases 2. Calls for policy and system changes that make it easy for Oregonians to make the healthy choice

In this session we will share the message design and testing process that lead to the coordinated message platform. We will also discuss how this coordinated platform is being applied to behavior- and disease-specific initiatives (promoting colorectal cancer screening, for example) as well as an overarching campaign to promote supportive policies and environments.