Worksite and Community Health Promotion/Risk Reduction Project--Virginia, 1987-1991

Because cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of premature disability and death in the United States, approaches are needed to prevent this problem at the community level. In the Mount Rogers Health District (MRHD) (1990 population: 178,000), a six-county area in southwestern Virginia, age-adjusted death rates for CVD substantially exceed state and national averages. In August 1987, the MRHD implemented the Worksite and Community Health Promotion/Risk Reduction Project to help residents of this large, rural area improve their health by adopting healthy lifestyles and, consequently, reduce their risks for CVD and cancer. This report summarizes activities associated with the project and changes in health indicators for participants from April 1989 through May 1990.