Getting good medical care that finds problems early and treats them effectively is an essential part of staying healthy. CDC works with public health partners and health care systems to improve the delivery of clinical preventive services, such as using electronic health records to monitor patient care and adding community health workers to health care teams.
CDC’s Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention supports programs across the country to help millions of Americans control their high blood pressure and reduce other cardiovascular disease risk factors. For example, the WISEWOMAN(Well-Integrated Screening and Evaluation for WOMen Across the Nation) program works to reduce heart disease and stroke risk factors for women aged 40 to 64 with low incomes and little or no health insurance.
Participants receive preventive health services such as blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes screenings. They are counseled about their risk of heart disease and stroke and referred to lifestyle change programs and other community resources that can help them control their blood pressure, eat a healthier diet, be physically active, and quit smoking.
CDC’s Division of Cancer Prevention and Controlworks with national organizations and state and local health agencies to help people lower their cancer risk by increasing the use of effective cancer prevention strategies and screening tests. Screening tests can help detect pre-cancerous colorectal and cervical conditions that if treated can prevent cancers from developing and find colorectal, cervical, breast, and lung cancers early, when treatment works best.
CDC’s Colorectal Cancer Control Programfunds 20 states, 8 universities, 2 tribal organizations, and 5 other organizations to increase colon cancer screening rates among men and women aged 45 and older.
CDC’s National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Programfunds programs in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, 6 US territories, and 13 American Indian/Alaska Native tribes or tribal organizations to provide access to breast and cervical cancer screening for women with low incomes and little or no health insurance.
FAQs
A healthy diet and regular physical activity can help prevent weight gain, heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and some kinds of cancer. However, only about 1 in 10 US adults eats enough fruits or vegetables. Nine in 10 Americans consume more than the recommended amount of sodium.
What are the five ways to promote health? ›
5 Ways to Improve Your Health – Starting Today
- Five Pillars to a Healthier Life. Becoming healthy may have a different meaning or goal for each person. ...
- Review Your Lifestyle & Start with An Easy Change. ...
- Nutrition. ...
- Exercise & Activity. ...
- Sleep. ...
- Mental Wellness. ...
- Social Wellness.
To promote health and prevent disease, programs may implement one or more strategies:
- Health Communication.
- Health Education.
- Policy, Systems, and Environmental Change.
NURSES AND HEALTH-PROMOTING BEHAVIORS
- Healthy Eating and Physical Activity. Diet and physical activity are perhaps the two health-promoting behaviors that have received the most research attention to date, and they are often researched in tandem. ...
- Stress Management. ...
- Sleep Hygiene. ...
- Healthy Relationships.
In such a situation, health issues can be effectively addressed by adopting a holistic approach by empowering individuals and communities to take action for their health, fostering leadership for public health, promoting intersectoral action to build healthy public policies in all sectors and creating sustainable ...
How to be a healthy adult? ›
Consuming healthy foods, beverages, and snacks, and getting regular physical activity may help you reach and maintain a healthy body weight. Making suitable lifestyle choices may also help men and women prevent some health problems. Setting healthy eating and physical activity goals may help you improve your health.
What is the primary goal of health promotion? ›
The purpose of health promotion is to positively influence the health behavior of individuals and communities as well as the living and working conditions that influence their health.
What are the examples of health promotion for older adults? ›
Be active.
Physical activity—such as walking, bicycling, and swimming—decreases arthritis pain and improves function, mood, and quality of life. Adults with arthritis should move more and sit less throughout the day. Getting at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each week is recommended.
How do you promote health and prevent illness? ›
How You Can Prevent Chronic Diseases
- Eat Healthy. Eating healthy helps prevent, delay, and manage heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and other chronic diseases. ...
- Get Regular Physical Activity. ...
- Avoid Drinking Too Much Alcohol. ...
- Get Screened. ...
- Take Care of Your Teeth. ...
- Get Enough Sleep.
- STEP 1: MANAGE THE PLANNING PROCESS. ...
- STEP 2: CONDUCT A SITUATIONAL ASSESSMENT. ...
- STEP 3: IDENTIFY GOALS, POPULATIONS OF INTEREST, OUTCOMES.
- STEP 4: IDENTIFY STRATEGIES, ACTIVITIES, OUTPUTS, PROCESS.
- STEP 5: DEVELOP INDICATORS. ...
- STEP 6: REVIEW THE PROGRAM PLAN.
These preventive stages are primordial prevention, primary prevention, secondary prevention, and tertiary prevention.
Why is health maintenance important? ›
Routine health maintenance is not a luxury; it is a necessity for a thriving and fulfilling life. By proactively caring for our physical and mental well-being, we can prevent health issues, detect potential problems early, and enjoy better long-term health outcomes.
Which behaviors protect or improve health? ›
A new CDC report finds that people can live longer if they practice one or more healthy lifestyle behaviors— not smoking, eating a healthy diet, getting regular physical activity, and limiting alcohol consumption. Not smoking provides the most protection from dying early from all causes.
What are some examples of health promotion? ›
Typical strategies for health promotion, disease prevention, and wellness programs include: Communication: Raising awareness about healthy behaviors for the general public. Examples of communication strategies include public service announcements, health fairs, mass media campaigns, and newsletters.
What are the four strategies used to promote health and prevent disease? ›
Understand the four levels of prevention (primordial, primary, secondary, and tertiary) (78-3)
Why is being health important? ›
Being healthy should be part of your overall lifestyle. Living a healthy lifestyle can help prevent chronic diseases and long-term illnesses. Feeling good about yourself and taking care of your health are important for your self-esteem and self-image. Maintain a healthy lifestyle by doing what is right for your body.
Why health is important as we get older? ›
Some of the benefits of staying active and healthy as you get older include increasing wellbeing and participation, recovering from illness more quickly, reducing the risk of getting chronic disease, and preventing falls.
Is physical health important as an adult? ›
Regular physical activity is one of the most important things you can do for your health. Being physically active can improve your brain health, help manage weight, reduce the risk of disease, strengthen bones and muscles, and improve your ability to do everyday activities.
Why is well-being important for older adults? ›
Physical conditions can cause discomfort and affect a person's ability to undertake daily living tasks, join in with social activities and stay independent. This is likely to affect their mental wellbeing.
