Translating the Public Health Action Plan
Into Action

Guidance for Task Groups
Task 6: Advancing Knowledge

Engaging in Regional and Global Partnerships

Action: Establish a steering group to oversee assessment of U.S. policies directly relevant to global heart disease and stroke prevention.

Task: Survey U.S. federal agencies and national non–governmental organizations to assess current policies regarding global heart disease and stroke prevention.

Outcome, April 2005: Report on findings concerning U.S. governmental and non–governmental organizational policies and on recommendations for a coherent U.S. policy framework for heart disease and stroke prevention.

Rationale

To advance implementation of the Action Plan by addressing the growing need for expanded collaboration in global efforts to prevent heart disease and stroke. An important step in this process from the perspective beyond the United States is to assess the degree to which policies of U.S. organizations and agencies recognize the global dimensions of heart disease and stroke in their policies and whether there is general concordance among such policies. From this starting point, further development of partnerships and collaboration will be greatly facilitated.

What Success Will Look Like

Findings will include a survey of existing U.S. policies (e.g., governmental and non–governmental) addressing heart disease and stroke at the global level; an assessment of the current policies; and recommendations for a policy framework within the United States to promote cardiovascular health worldwide. Strategies to implement the proposed policy framework should also be addressed.

This Task in the Larger Picture

In the broader context of evaluating impact is shown in the attached summary. The many potential links of this task with the other themes of the Action Plan are illustrated by the following:

• Effective communication: Establishing a U.S. policy framework for addressing heart disease and stroke internationally can advance global messages and communications regarding the importance, urgency, and impact of heart disease and stroke prevention.
   
• Strategic leadership, partnerships, and organization: Initiating a global outlook for U.S. policies addressing heart disease and stroke prevention can further facilitate global leadership endeavors and promote future international partnerships among an array of organizations and programs.
   
• Taking action: Priorities for policies and programs within the United States can be supported through a global agenda that identifies the necessity of aggressively promoting cardiovascular health in countries across the world.
   
• Strengthening capacity: The case for infrastructure development that expands competencies to include global perspectives requires an assessment of current activities within organizations and agencies that are addressing health issues beyond U.S. borders.
   
• Evaluating impact: A comprehensive perspective of global policies and initiatives will facilitate the establishment of international methods of data collection, management and reporting.
   
• Advancing knowledge: Much of the needed research to address questions of program evaluation and policy development will be facilitated by an increased understanding of existing global policies and programs. The resulting collaborations can expand the range of research cooperation that will benefit all.

Approach to the Task

While the approach to be taken should be determined by the leaders and members of the task group, the following suggested 10–step list may be helpful:

1. Define the scope of activity to be pursued through April 2005, within the overall statement of the task, above.
2. Prepare a preliminary outline of the anticipated report.
3. Identify the main source materials that will support the group’s work.
4. Take account of related work by others, whether completed or in progress.
5. Consider whether expertise or consultation beyond the task group will be needed, whether within the National Forum or beyond, and arrange to obtain the needed input.
6. Divide responsibilities for work components among all members of the group.
7. Use support staff to assist in logistics and communications.
8. Maintain frequent contact and monitor progress, including a cumulative record of meetings and accomplishments.
9. Draft the task group report.
10. Present the report to the 3rd National Forum, April 2005.

CDC Support Staff Contact Information

National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and
Health Promotion
Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention
4770 Buford Highway NE, MS K-47
Atlanta, GA 30341
Tele: 770–488–5504
Fax: 770–488–8151
Email: ccdinfo@cdc.gov
Web site: http://www.cdc.gov/hdsp/

The Context of the Concrete Tasks
Task 7: Engaging in Regional and Global Partnerships

Action: Establish a steering group to oversee U.S. policies directly relevant to global heart disease and stroke prevention.

Concrete Task: Survey U.S. federal agencies and national nongovernmental organizations to assess current policies regarding global heart disease and stroke prevention.

Expected Outcome: Report on findings concerning U.S. governmental and nongovernmental organizational policies and on recommendations for a coherent U.S. policy framework for heart disease and stroke prevention.

The above task is 1 of 8 tasks for the National Forum to implement during the current year. This task emerged from 1 of 3 priority action statements in regional and global partnerships designated by Working Group 4 in January 2004. These action statements are:

• Develop a U.S. position, role, and interest regarding global needs and opportunities in CVH.
   
• Encourage all relevant professional societies to include population sciences (the populationwide perspective on prevention) in their congresses and other activities.
   
• Develop and maintain a current inventory of global CVH partners and activities.

Task 7 and its related priority action steps were developed from the following recommendation in the full Action Plan:

"Engage with regional and global partners to mobilize resources in CVH promotion and CVD prevention, develop and implement global CVH policies, and establish or strengthen liaison with the partners identified in these recommendations."

The background of this task can be found in A Public Health Action Plan to Prevent Heart Disease and Stroke in Section 2. A Comprehensive Public Health Strategy, Section 3. Recommendations, and Section 4. Implementation.

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Date last reviewed: 05/12/2006
Content source: Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion