Many of the documents produced by the Kalamazoo County Health and Community Services compare the disease rates in our community to the goal rates listed in the document Healthy People 2010.  The following are commonly asked questions about Healthy People 2010.  All responses are based on documents provided on the Healthy People 2010 website and other Healthy People 2010 publications.

What is Healthy People 2010?  Healthy People 2010 is a set of health objectives for the Nation to achieve in the first decade of the 21st century. These objectives are used by communities, professional organizations and others to help develop programs to improve health. The underlying belief of Healthy People 2010 is that community health is profoundly affected by the collective behaviors, attitudes and beliefs of everyone who lives in the community. The goals of Healthy People 2010 by an advisory group started by the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, numerous federal agencies and a group of more than 400 national membership organizations, all state and territorial health departments and national organizations of state health officials.

How can I help achieve Healthy People 2010 objectives?  Regardless of your age, gender, education level, income, race, ethnicity, cultural customs, language, religious beliefs, disability, sexual orientation, geographic location or occupation, Healthy People 2010 is designed to be a valuable resource in determining how you can participate most effectively in the improving the Nation's health. Perhaps you will recognize the need to be a more active participant in decisions affecting your own health or the health of your children or loved ones. Perhaps you will assume a leadership role in promoting healthier behaviors in your neighborhood or community. Or perhaps you will use your influence and social stature to advocate for and implement policies and programs that can dramatically improve the health of dozens, hundreds, thousands or even millions of people.' Healthy People 2010 Conference Edition p. 4; January 2000.

What are the goals?  Healthy People 2010 is designed to achieve two primary goals:

Goal 1:  To help individuals of all ages increase life expectancy and improve their quality of life.

• Life expectancy is the average number of years people born in a given year are expected to live based on a set of age-specific death rates. Life expectancy for Michigan residents can be found on the Michigan Department of Community Health website or on the Kalamazoo County Health and Community Services website.

• Quality of life reflects a general sense of happiness and satisfaction with our lives and environment. General quality of life encompasses all aspects of life, including health, recreation, culture, rights, values, beliefs, aspirations and the conditions that support a life containing these elements. Information regarding the perception of quality of life for Kalamazoo County residents can be found in the 2000 Kalamazoo County Behavioral Risk Factor Survey Report.

Goal 2:  To eliminate health disparities among different segments of the population.

• The second goal is to eliminate health disparities among different segments of the population. These include differences that occur by gender, race or ethnicity, education or income, disability, living in rural communities or sexual orientation.

What are the focus areas?  There are 28 focus areas contained in Healthy People 2010. A complete list of the 28 areas can be found on the Healthy People 2010 website. Examples of focus areas include access to quality health services, cancer, chronic kidney disease, diabetes, environmental health, family planning, food safety, heart disease and stroke, maternal, infant and child health, oral health, physical activity and fitness, sexually transmitted diseases, substance abuse and tobacco use.

What are the leading health indicators?  The leading health indicators are the 10 high priority areas for the nation's health that include:

• Physical Activity
• Overweight and Obesity
• Tobacco Use
• Substance Abuse
• Responsible Sexual Behavior
• Mental Health
• Injury and Violence
• Environmental Quality
• Immunizations
• Access to Health Care

Where can I find more information about Health People 2010?  More information can be found by visiting the Healthy People 2010 Website.