Meeting Healthy People 2010 objective 1.7 in ASAHP programs

A key objective of Healthy People 2010, a program of the U.S. Public Health Service, falls within the responsibility of member programs of the Association of Schools of Allied Health Professions (ASAHP). Objective 1.7 reads, "Increase the proportion of schools of medicine, schools of nursing and health professional training schools whose basic curriculum for health care providers includes the core competencies in health promotion and disease prevention." In light of the upcoming development of Healthy People 2020, this paper explores four specific topics related to Objective 1.7 outlined in the Clinical Prevention and Population Health Curriculum Framework, recommended by experts from a number of health disciplines, and whether or not ASAHP programs include these topics in their curricula. Survey data would indicate that many of the elements of the four topics are covered. A few key subjects, however, are not covered by all programs. For example, both immunization and preventive medicine are not included in required courses of a majority of the respondents. The development of health policy and understanding global health issues appear also to be lacking. Health professions educators are advised to consider the health promotion and disease prevention aspects of their curricula.