CDC National Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Program

Rhode Island
Capacity Building

In 2007, the Rhode Island Department of Health received CDC funds to support a state heart disease and stroke prevention program. It also received CDC optional funding to implement a demonstration public health project that will improve the management of high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol and improve quality of care in the healthcare setting by enhancing the existing Rhode Island Chronic Care Collaboration (RICCC) in nine community-based health centers in the state.

Burden of Heart Disease and Stroke

• More than 1 out of 4 deaths in Rhode Island are due to heart disease. (National Vital Statistics Report, 2009.)
• 2,718 Rhode Islanders died from heart disease in 2006 (28% of total deaths in Rhode Island). (National Vital Statistics Report, 2009.)
• 421 Rhode Islanders died from stroke in 2006 (4.3% of total deaths in Rhode Island). (National Vital Statistics Report, 2009.)
• According to 2007 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey results, adults in Rhode Island reported the following risk factors for heart disease and stroke:
  
  • 28.4% had high blood pressure
  • 38.0% of those screened reported having high blood cholesterol
  • 7.2% had diabetes
  • 17.0% were current smokers
  • 60.8% were overweight or obese (Body Mass Index greater than or equal to 25.0)
  • 50.1% reported no exercise in the prior 30 days
  • 74.4% ate fruit and vegetables less than 5 times a day

Key Responsibilities

• Facilitate collaboration among public and private sector partners, such as managed care organizations, health insurers, federally funded health centers, businesses, priority population organizations, and emergency response agencies.
• Define the burden of heart disease and stroke and assess existing population-based strategies for primary and secondary prevention of heart disease and stroke within the state.
• Develop and update a comprehensive state plan for heart disease and stroke prevention with emphasis on heart-healthy policies development, physical and social environments change, and disparities elimination (e.g., based on geography, gender, race or ethnicity, or socioeconomic status).
• Identify culturally appropriate approaches to promote heart disease and stroke prevention among racial, ethnic, and other priority populations.
• Use population-based public health strategies to increase public awareness of the signs and symptoms of heart diseases and stroke, the urgency of early treatment for heart disease and stroke, and the need to call 9–1–1.

State Highlights

• In 2008, the Rhode Island Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention program received funding to restructure health care for patients at risk for or diagnosed with heart disease in nine Rhode Island Chronic Care Collaborative (RICCC) sites. The RICCC also works with other Rhode Island Department of Health Chronic Care and Disease Management programs to improve pre-diabetes, diabetes, cardiovascular disease (CVD), asthma, and colorectal cancer care in primary care practices. The CVD/RICCC electronic registries grew from data on 627 CVD patients in July 2008 to records for 4,900 patients as of October 2010. Additional registry data during the same time period include an increase of patients with blood pressure in control (less than 130/80) from 20.4% to 30.1%, those with LDL cholesterol less than 100 from 18.3% to 40.6% and those with documented smoking status increased from 0.6% to 59.3%. The major goal of the RICCC is to improve the quality of care provided to and health outcomes for patients with chronic illness.
• The Rhode Island Stroke Task Force endorsed a national model for the organization of effective stroke care, initiated a survey of hospitals to identify interest in developing a hospital system for emergency triage of stroke victims, and discussed alternative policy changes to create a comprehensive stroke care system. The Task Force completed a formal report (April 2008) to the Rhode Island Legislature on stroke care recommendations for the state. It also crafted and submitted stroke legislation, The Stroke Prevention and Treatment Act of 2009, to establish an inclusive and coordinated system of care for stroke patients in Rhode Island. The legislation passed in June 2009.

For more information visit the heart disease and stroke prevention program in Rhode Island.

To view county-level data, visit our interactive map site.