An update and review of the Minnesota Heart Health Program

The Minnesota Heart Health Program is a community-based program aimed at reducing the risk factors for cardiovascular disease through community-wide health education. It involves six communities-three intervention, three comparison-with a total population of approximately 500,000. Multiple community interventions target eating patterns, cigarette smoking, physical activity, and blood pressure. Community organization, mass media, adult education, screening education, youth education, and professional education are all used as intervention modalities. Population surveys, hospital morbidity surveillance, and abstraction of death certificates are used to evaluate the program. The Minnesota Heart Health Program is currently in its tenth year. The programs have largely been transferred to community control. Early analyses of the program suggested that a number of the educational strategies that have been developed and tested are effective in reducing community risk factors. Final results will be forthcoming in the next 2 years.