Overview
Colorado Healthy People 2010
Many of the serious health issues Americans face today are preventable. The occurrence of obesity has risen dramatically, for example, while physical activity has decreased. Being overweight and not getting regular physical activity is a deadly combination for many people, often leading to diabetes, heart disease and a host of other serious health problems. Serious, though preventable, health problems also are caused by tobacco use, substance abuse, injury (e.g., not wearing seat belts, biking/skiing helmets, etc.), not being immunized, not having access to health care and the like. Despite Colorado’s reputation as being a haven for the health conscious, people across the state are experiencing these types of preventable health problems. For example, although more than half of Coloradans meet the recommended level of weekly physical activity, almost half of the state’s residents are overweight or obese.
Crafting Solutions
To help Coloradans take steps to lead healthier, longer lives, and to decrease health disparities among different populations, The Colorado Trust supported the Colorado Healthy People 2010 initiative to enhance health promotion activities throughout the state. The national Healthy People 2010 effort is a comprehensive set of objectives developed by the U.S. Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. The Trust designed the statewide Colorado Healthy People 2010 initiative to help Coloradans achieve the objectives of this national program by addressing local priorities.
Forty-three grants, each of a three-year duration, were awarded to community organizations under this Trust initiative. Five regional coordinating agencies helped to manage the work of the grantees and to provide technical assistance to strengthen their health programs. Regional efforts in the state are focusing on the following issues:
- Metropolitan Denver area – injury prevention
- Southeastern Colorado – obesity and diabetes prevention
- Southwestern Colorado – improving access to health care
- Northeastern Colorado – substance abuse prevention and mental health care
- Northwestern Colorado – obesity prevention and increased physical activity.
Grantee progress reports indicated the sustainability of various community efforts that accomplish Colorado Healthy People 2010 initiative goals. For example, the Outdoor Leadership Club of Full Circle of Lake County implemented ongoing, year-round service projects to ensure physical activity among middle school youths. Participants are trained in search and rescue techniques – including rock climbing and use of Global Positioning System (GPS) equipment – as well as given the opportunity to participate in a range of other after-school and summer activities (e.g., skiing, sledding, indoor climbing, basketball, soccer, swimming, hiking, fishing, dog walking, etc.). Preliminary participant responses were overwhelmingly positive, demonstrating improved sense of self, life skills and social skills, and increased motivation to make positive life choices.
In northwestern Colorado, the Girl Scouts On the Move program is similarly successful in sustaining a step-counter project and sports workshops among participants from the Mountain Prairie and Chipeta councils. Individual troops also regularly use sporting equipment provided by the councils. To increase physical activity and awareness of the benefits of physical activity and good nutrition, and to promote a life-long interest in and commitment to fitness and other healthy habits, Girl Scouts On the Move events include gymnastics, jump-roping, kayaking, swimming and water safety, and numerous team games and activities. Indicating a positive trend, the demand for many of the programs exceeds their capacity. Additionally, pre- and post-surveys showed a marked increase in the number of participating Brownies, Junior-level girls and adults who consider themselves to be healthy.
Two subsequent Trust initiatives resulted, in part, from the Colorado Healthy People 2010 initiative: the Equality in Health initiative is designed to reduce racial and ethnic disparities by addressing the needs of the medically underserved, and the Partnerships for Health initiative is focused on improving the coordination of health services at the local community level.
Evaluation
An evaluation of the Colorado Healthy People 2010 initiative was completed in 2007. The four-and-a-half year longitudinal study measured the effectiveness of obesity prevention and increased physical activity work conducted by grantees in the northwestern and southeastern regions of Colorado. Dietary and physical activity behavior change over time was evaluated, and individual, programmatic and community characteristics that contribute to sustainable behavior change were identified.
Erin Caldwell, Senior Research Associate, National Research Center, Inc., 303-444-7863, ext. 102
Coordinating Agencies
The Partnership for Families and Children, Rural Solutions, Southeastern Colorado Area Health Education Center, Tri-County Health Department and United Way of Larimer County
Grantees
Metropolitan Denver – Healthy People 2010 focus area: injury prevention
Broomfield Health and Human Services
Commerce City Community Health Services
Consortium for Older Adult Wellness
Denver Museum of Nature and Science
Denver Osteopathic Foundation
Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Center
St. Anthony Central Hospital
Southeastern Colorado – Healthy People 2010 focus area: obesity and diabetes prevention
Bent County Nursing
Cheyenne County Public Health
CSU Cooperative Extension, Lamar Office
Parkview School Based Wellness Center
Penrose-St. Francis Health Foundation – Health Learning Center
St. Mary Corwin Hospital
Teller County Public Health
University of Southern Colorado
Southwestern Colorado – Healthy People 2010 focus area: improving access to health care
Columbine Nurse Practitioner Clinic
Hilltop Community Resources
Hinsdale County Public Health
Marillac Clinic
Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains – Cortez Health Center
San Juan Basin Health Department
Spanish Peaks Regional Health Center
Northeastern Colorado – Healthy People 2010 focus area: substance abuse prevention and mental health care
Baby Bear Hugs
Centennial Board of Cooperative Educational Services
Centennial Mental Health Center
Island Grove Regional Treatment Center
North Colorado Psychcare
North Range Behavioral Health
Northeast Colorado Health Department
Rural Communities Resource Center
Wray School District
Northwestern Colorado – Healthy People 2010 focus area: obesity prevention and increased physical activity
Consortium for Older Adult Wellness
CSU – Happy Feet Healthy Eats
CSU Cooperative Extension – Rx Health
Estes Park Salud Foundation
Full Circle of Lake County
Girl Scouts – Mountain Prairie and Chipeta Councils
Health District of Northern Larimer County
Memorial Hospital
Partners of Larimer County
Rocky Mountain Youth Corps
Counties
| Adams Arapahoe Bent Boulder Cheyenne Denver El Paso |
Garfield Hinsdale Huerfano Jefferson La Plata Lake Larimer |
Logan Mesa Moffat Montezuma Montrose Prowers Pueblo |
Routt Teller Weld Yuma |
GRANT TIMEFRAME: 2002-2007
GRANT AMOUNT: $8,700,000
CONTACT: NANCY CSUTI
