Disease Prevention Programs

             Disease prevention programs are a great intervention to provide patients who could potential develop a disease. Currently, there are two very well known and supported disease prevention programs. Emory created a Cardiac Rehabilitation Program / HeartWise Risk Reduction Program (HeartWise) that helps patients reduce their risk of heart disease. Cardiac Rehabilitation / HeartWise serves patients who currently suffer from heart disease and those who could potentially be candidates for problems in the future such as smokers, individuals who don’t exercise, individuals with high blood pressure. Their aim is to lead participants towards a healthier lifestyle.  The Center for Disease Control (CDC) created the CDC Diabetes Prevention Program (CDC DPP). This educational program is based on the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) that was as study in 2002 led by the National Institutes of Health and supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This curriculum put out by the CDC is for lifestyle coaches and organizations that provides lifestyle change programs in the community.

            The two well established programs by the CDC and Emory address two major health risks by teaching and implementing preventative efforts. Another disease that would benefit from a prevention program is obesity. Healthy lifestyle programs could address making good eating choices and could prevent from these individuals from becoming diabetic. Also, this preventative measure could address hypertension issues from arising and conditions such as slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE ).

            Not only would disease prevention programs benefit pre-disposed individuals to certain illness, but to those who could be saved from two illnesses at once. There are many potential benefits to the implementation of programs created to prevent disease such as less heath care costs and an overall healthier community. I have been a part of a healthy lifestyle team assembled to educate children with obesity on healthier choices and have seen participants truly benefit from this program. If this program is successful and others such as Emory’s cardiac program, then more programs should be too.

References

The Center for Disease Control, The CDC Diabetes Prevention Program (CDC DPP) Curriculum www.cdc.gov/diabetes/prevention/recognition/curriculum

Emory, Cardiac Rehabilitation Program / HeartWise Risk Reduction Program http://www.emoryhealthcare.org/heart-disease-prevention/about-us/index.html

Lindström, J., Ilanne-Parikka, P., Peltonen, M., Aunola, S., Eriksson, J. G., Hemiö, K., ... & Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study Group. (2006). Sustained reduction in the incidence of type 2 diabetes by lifestyle intervention: follow-up of the Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study. The Lancet, 368(9548), 1673-1679.