Chronic Disease DefinitionChronic diseases have a long course of illness. They rarely resolve spontaneously and they are generally not cured by medication or prevented by vaccine. Chronic diseases - such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes - account for 7 of every 10 deaths and affect the quality of life of 90 million Americans. Chronic disabling conditions cause major limitations in activity for more than 1 of every 10 Americans or 25 million people. Although chronic diseases are among the most common and costly health problems, they are also among the most preventable. Adopting healthy behaviors such as eating nutritious foods, being physically active, and avoiding tobacco use can prevent or control the devastating effects of these diseases. Overview of the Bureau of Chronic Disease Prevention and Health PromotionChronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes are among the most prevalent, costly, and preventable of all health problems. In Florida in 2002, almost one of every three deaths was due to heart disease, and almost one of every four deaths was due to cancer. However, consideration of deaths alone severely understates the burden of chronic disease. The prolonged course of illness and disability from chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and arthritis results in extended pain and suffering as well as in decreased quality of life for thousands of Floridians. Our state cannot reduce its enormous health care costs, much less its priority health problems, without addressing the prevention of chronic disease in a fundamentally more aggressive manner. Established in March 1998, the Bureau of Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion has expanded its capacity to provide a comprehensive approach to preventing, detecting, and reducing complications of chronic diseases in Florida. The bureau currently houses the following programs: Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention, Step Up, Florida! Healthy Communities Program, Obesity Prevention, Diabetes Prevention and Control, Comprehensive Cancer Control, Arthritis Prevention and Education, Epilepsy, and Coordinated School Health. The bureau receives funding from a variety of federal and state sources, including the Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, state trust funds, and general revenue. The Bureau of Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion strives to be a leader in developing a unified statewide system to prevent, detect, and reduce complications of chronic diseases. Toward that end, the bureau collaborates with public, private, and voluntary organizations; establishes and participates in councils and partnerships; and obtains funding for planning and program development. The bureau is responsible for assessing the status of chronic diseases in the state and the adequacy of resources available for prevention, health promotion, and education. The bureau develops policies and recommends and reviews legislation. The various programs within the bureau provide education and technical assistance, conduct monitoring of funded programs, and participate in the county health department quality improvement review process. Program IntegrationThe information on chronic disease program integration provided in the presentation below defines integration, facilitating factors and barriers to integration, and describes integration within the Bureau of Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. Preventive Health and Health Services Block GrantThe Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant (PHHSBG) funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides Florida with flexible funding to address gaps in needed public health services for which there is limited or no state funding available. Currently Florida receives $2,978,945 that are used to support 1) Coronary Heart Disease, 2) Sexual Violence Prevention and 3) Community Fluoridation. Links to Program Web PagesThe Functional Guide (PDF 341 KB) and the Long-Range Program Plan (PDF 27 KB) each provide an overview of each of the programs in the bureau. Individual program web sites are listed below. Under each program web site, you will find related reports, data, conferences, events, educational materials, and much more.
Bureau Educational Materials Order Form (PDF 42 KB) Other Health-Related Web Sites
*Note: Materials are in the Portable Document Format (PDF). You will need to download the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to view the files. Some of the PDF files are zipped to make them faster to download. You may need WinZip to decompress them prior to reading them. |
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