Heart Disease, Diabetes, Stroke, Cancer, and Injuries are among the top causes of death and disability in Duplin County. Many of these diseases can be avoided by making appropriate lifestyle changes.

Does your company offer wellness programs for its employees? Are you self-insured? Would you like to encourage healthier habits in your community? Would you like to start a church wellness program?

Community groups interested in consulting with the Health Promotion Team can call and make an appointment 296-2130. (Ask for Health Education). We can offer suggestions and make referrals to the health sources you need to get started on a community-based wellness initiative.

Health Promotion Outline:

Public Health focuses on preventive health services including health promotion, disease prevention, and health education. Health prevention and disease prevention are the primary components of preventive care. As outlined in Healthy People 2010, health promotion encompasses physical activity, nutrition, and tobacco use with educational and community-based programs. Comprehensive prevention encompasses personal, clinical preventive services, community-based interventions, and social policies consistent with preventive services. Prevention activities and services must be the foundation of health reform.

Duplin County Health Department was asked to complete two deliverables (a 3-year Strategic Plan/Long Term Plan and Annual Action Plan). In the 3 year Strategic Plan the Health Department faced many challenges transitioning from providing individual services to an environmental and policy focus approach to health care. A coalition will plan groundwork strategies toward achieving changes to the community environment and policy practices. The coalition will provide the infrastructure for diverse community groups to work together. Through multiple intervention strategies, the coalition will conduct assessments, make recommendations and ultimately impact the health status of Duplin County residents.  The Duplin County Health Department works with Duplin Partners for Health to meet these objectives.

Ultimate Health Outcome Goal for Duplin County:

Enhance cardiovascular health and quality of life for Duplin County residents and workers through promotion of healthy lifestyle behaviors (tobacco avoidance, physical activity, and nutrition) and the reduction of risks for heart disease, stroke, and cancer.

Ultimate Health Objectives for Duplin County:

Impact mortality and morbidity of cardiovascular disease through community-based CVD prevention initiatives that targets changes in the social and physical environment and changes in health behaviors. Modifying behavior, health risk status and the social and physical environment in which we live can prevent cardiovascular disease and other related health problems (The Burden of Cardiovascular Disease in North Carolina).

Ultimate Reduction of Risk factor Goals for Duplin County:

NOTE: Prior to conducting a community health promotion problem analysis and needs assessment quantifying risk reduction is limited. Current statistics reported from The Burden of Cardiovascular Disease in North Carolina N.C. Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Task Force.

Program Goal for Duplin County:
Increase opportunities for Duplin County residents through physical activity, healthy food choices, and tobacco avoidance in Duplin County through changes to the physical and social environment.

Program Mission for Duplin County:
Impact healthy lifestyle behaviors through community-based prevention initiatives that target changes in policy, social and physical environments to promote and improved quality of life for the residents of Duplin County.

Guiding Principles for Duplin County:

• Active involvement of community organizations and priority populations to ensure a community-based approach
• Focus on population-based strategies which provide for policy and environmental changes
• Identify and target disparities among population groups
• Be responsive to community norms
• Utilize multiple intervention strategies using the Socio-Ecological Model

Health Promotion:

Purpose:

The Duplin County Health Department and Duplin Partners for Health will plan groundwork strategies toward achieving changes to the community environment and policy practices in Duplin County. The focus will be on promoting physical activity, improving nutrition, and reducing tobacco use.

Duplin County Safe Communities program is grounded in two basic principals: The first goal is to reduce traffic injuries in Duplin County.  Second, to rely on diverse group of partners for their success.

Activities by the group include:

• Health / Highway safety fairs
• County needs assessments
• Public opinion surveys
• Law enforcement support

Imagine what it would be like if you could help stop a nationwide epidemic from devastating our communities.  Protecting untold numbers of children from needless pain.  Sparing thousands of people from being hospitalized.  Saving countless lives.

The fact is, you can.

The epidemic is injury.  And no one is immune.

Injury is the most common cause of hospitalization and the leading cause of death for people under age 40.  Motor vehicle injury, in particular, surpasses all other causes of injury death.  It affects us all / drivers, passengers, pedestrians, bicyclists and motorcyclists.

It robs billions of dollars from health care and social support resources.   Clearly, it is too large a problem, and resources are too limited for any one group to solve.

Many people call car crashes "accidents." But they are not.  Because, like all injuries, traffic injuries are both predictable and preventable.

Now imagine living in a community where concerned citizens, medical and health workers, elected officials, business people, safety advocates, and many others work together with a solid plan of action to prevent the spread of traffic injuries.

If you would like more information of Duplin County Safe Communities, please call us at 296-2130.