Cardiovascular Health

Community Heart Health Program

The Ohio Department of Health’s Cardiovascular Health Program consists of two major components: (1) Community Heart Health Projects funded by the Preventive Health & Health Services Block Grant (PHHSBG) and (2) Core Capacity CVH Cooperative Agreement from CDC.

The Community Heart Health Program (CHH) provides fiscal and technical assistance to 17 local projects covering 24 counties in 2006. These projects use a population-based approach to expand, and enhance heart healthy communities.

Using a team approach, the local project staff uses four settings for their interventions: school, worksite, community and healthcare. Their interventions encompass six modifiable CVH risk factors: nutrition, physical activity, blood pressure, blood cholesterol, tobacco and diabetes. 

Major Highlights for CHH grants:

Community Setting

• 4 new walking trails established.
• Gold Plate healthy restaurant programs identified in approximately 30 counties.  From June through September 2004, 71 new restaurants were added to the program.
• Safe Routes to School, Walking School Buses and TV Turnoff Week program in 3 counties to promote physical activity with school children and their families.
• Established Community Garden Projects in Columbus and Cincinnati to promote physical activity and increased vegetable consumption for inner-city residents.

School Setting

• Active support of the Buckeye Best School Awards program in 42 counties.
• Training on BMI Screening Guidelines for Schools completed and screenings performed in four counties.
• Establishment of school health councils in approximately 25 schools.
• Training for school staff and the use of CDC’s School Health Index by 4 projects.
• 77 School Cook’s conferences, Food Service Workshops and Healthy Eating and Dining Programs offered across the state to school staff and teachers.
• Implementation of the CATCH program, supported by a grant from General Mills, in all five school districts in Athens County to expand and enhance the physical education curriculum and nutrition environment at all grade levels.
• Healthy school vending policies established by 6 school districts.

Health Care Setting

• Two Accurate Blood Pressure Measurement train-the-trainer workshops were conducted to provide resources and standardize measurement techniques.  These trainers now work with their health care systems to improve blood pressure measurement and control.
• Health Ministry workshops in 2 counties to establish faith-based healthy Ohioans CVH programs for congregation members.
• Approximately 100 trainings for health professionals on current treatment recommendation for the management of diabetes, hypertension, cholesterol, obesity or tobacco risk reduction.

 Worksite Setting

• 116 community hike/walking challenges/and fitness events, many of them family-oriented.
• More than 200 newspaper articles, 70 media interviews, and 65 public service announcements (PSAs) completed which highlighted Healthy Ohioans goals.
• 15 employee wellness programs offered at worksites, including the American Cancer Society Active For Life trainings for worksite health coordinators.
• Healthy Ohioans Wellness Guides distributed to all CVH projects.