Partnership for Prevention

John Clymer, President

Health research continues to improve our understanding of how we can prevent disease and improve health.  With the help of the most up-to-date scientific and clinical evidence, we know the best policies and practices to maintain and promote community health.  Yet each year, nearly 95 percent of the $2 trillion the U.S. spends on health goes to treatment of disease rather than prevention of disease. 

It's the great disconnect of America's health system today.  We know what works to prevent disease, but we don't do it. 

Partnership for Prevention^® is proud to support America's Health Rankings for it shines a light on the importance of prevention.  As you review the summary of your state, imagine what your state's ranking would be if state resources were targeted on the leading preventable causes of disease and death, namely, tobacco use, poor nutrition, physical inactivity, and alcohol and drug abuse.   Imagine how much healthier your state would be.   Every state can help its citizens improve their health by increasing the priority it puts on prevention.  Good science and common sense supports prevention, but where do we start? 

First, we need to understand what works.  Three sources provide the gold standard in evidence-based prevention policies and practices:

• The Guide to Clinical Preventive Services (http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/pocketgd.htm) recommends services that can be obtained in a clinical setting that are proven to prevent disease.
• The Guide to Community Preventive Services (http://www.thecommunityguide.org) recommends programs and policies that promote health and prevent disease in non-clinical settings, such as workplaces, schools and communities. 
• The Rankings of Clinical Preventive Services (http://www.prevent.org/ncpp), from Partnership for Prevention^®, identifies the most effective clinical preventive services in terms of health impact and cost. . 

Second, we need to utilize best practices.  To support use of these best practices and policies, Partnership for Prevention has developed several Action Guides-soon to be released - that provide implementation roadmaps.    The Action Guides include Smoke-Free Policies; Health Promotion Practices for the Workplace; and The Community Health Promotion Handbook.   The latter publication, developed in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, contains five individual Action Guides that address issues, such as physical activity and diabetes management in community settings and tobacco cessation in clinical settings. 

Third, we need to take action to improve health in your state.   States with high health rankings can serve as models as we take action to improve health.  But, rankings don't tell the whole story.  Many states with lower rankings have made great strides through targeted preventive programs.  States that can be looked at as models have one thing in common - they are committed to prevention and use the evidence to guide their decision making about health.   Model states are implementing evidence-based services, programs, and policies in a variety of ways - by offering free breast and cervical cancer screenings, instituting statewide smoking bans, creating neighborhood walking group initiatives to increase physical activity and promoting evidence-based clinical guidelines.   And, these efforts result in healthier communities.

We know what works.  We have tools to implement what works.  We need to be advocates for the adoption of proven prevention practices and policies in our state and in our nation.   We need to take action for better health!