A cardiovascular health education program for rural schools

Public understanding of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors and primary prevention has increased, due in part to community prevention efforts. However, many segments of society are difficult to reach. Such groups still need public education to acquire the knowledge that can lead to behavior change. Community intervention programs in rural areas face the challenge of disseminating health information to widely scattered populations isolated by difficult terrain and weather, and restricted by the sparsity of channels for mass communication. School health promotion programs, because of the special role schools play in rural communities, can help reach rural populations. During a five-year period, the Otsego-Schoharie Healthy Heart Program, a state-funded community intervention program, provided presentations to 18% of the combined total population of two rural counties through its school-based component. It also helped promote other program initiatives by establishing linkages in the community. Schools provide an effective channel for health promotion efforts to reach rural populations.