Health Care Professionals

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As a nation, our excess pounds are creating excess costs. Find out what obesity is costing your state today, and if trends continue, what it may cost in the future.

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Healthy Actions Center
HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS

Disease prevention, not just treatment, is critical to patients` health

Over the past 20 years, cardiovascular disease, cancer and premature death rates all have decreased thanks to improvements in disease diagnosis and treatment. However, scientific advancements are simply allowing unhealthy people to live longer without changing the bad habits that contribute to these conditions. As a health care professional, you can play a powerful role in encouraging your patients to change unhealthy behaviors that contribute to preventable illness and suffering. United Health Foundation with its partners, the American Public Health Association and Partnership for Prevention, encourage you to write more prescriptions for prevention today.

How can I help patients address weight management issues?

Obesity prevention, assessment and treatment action guide
American Academy of Pediatrics

Instructions for creating a customized `exercise` prescription
American College of Sports Medicine

Tips for delivering physical activity counseling during patient visits
Nature Publishing Group

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Which strategies work to promote smoking cessation?

Guide to improve delivery of tobacco-use cessation treatments
Partnership for Prevention

Smoking quitline referral cards
American Academy of Family Physicians

Patient resource guide for quitting smoking
National Cancer Institute

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How can I motivate patients to embrace preventive care?

Guide to preventive clinical services
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

Physician guide for patient screening and motivation
American Medical Association

HIV screening mandate for pregnant women
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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How can I ensure that I practice equitable care for all patients?

Multicultural health care quality improvement guide
National Committee for Quality Assurance and Lilly

Hospital approaches to help eliminate health disparities
American Hospital Association

Health disparity intervention strategies
National Public Health and Hospital Institute

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How can I effectively advocate for public health issues?

Advocacy toolkit to impact health reform legislation
American Public Health Association

E-mail elected officials about issues that matter
National Association of County and City Health Officials

How to contact your state health official
Association of State and Territorial Health Officials

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What resources do my peers recommend?

Case Study: Reducing disparities in cardiac care
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Health information handouts for adolescent patients
American Medical Association

Will it work for my patients?

As you assess the Healthy Actions resources provided, consider the following:

1. Is it logical? Based on your patients` needs, does the approach make sense? Is the intervention likely to be acceptable within your environment?

2. Is it doable? Considering available time and resources, can you see yourself, your staff or patients committing to do what it takes to make the solution work?

3. Does it address barriers to action? Does it help you overcome challenges to advocating for health improvements in your practice and the community?

4. Is it flexible? Does the resource or program provide a basic framework that can be customized by specific patient needs and medical situations?

View all Healthy Actions resources

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