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Leading Health Indicators At the beginning of
the 20th century, the leading causes of death in the United States were
dominated by infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, pneumonia, and
influenza. One of the major accomplishments of the past 100 years has been
the ability of medical science to prevent and treat many of the infectious
diseases that once took such a toll among people of all ages. Now, at the
beginning of a new century, the leading causes of death—heart disease,
cancer, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and unintentional
injuries—can be attributed, at least in part, to behaviors and
environmental factors. The Leading Health
Indicators illuminate individual behaviors, physical and social
environmental factors, and important health system issues that greatly
affect the health of individuals and communities. The Leading Health
Indicators reflect the major public health concerns in the United States
and were chosen based on their ability to motivate action, their relevance
as broad public health issues, and the availability of data to measure
their progress. The process of
selecting the Leading Health Indicators was led by an interagency work
group within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Individuals
and organizations provided comments at national and regional meetings,
through the mail, and over the Internet. A report by the Institute of
Medicine National Academy of Sciences provided several scientific models
to support a set of indicators. Focus groups were used to ensure that the
indicators are meaningful and motivating to the public. For each of the Leading
Health Indicators, specific objectives derived from Healthy People 2010
will be used to track progress. This small set of measures will provide a
snapshot of the health of the Nation. Tracking and communicating progress
on the Leading Health Indicators through national and State-level report
cards will spotlight achievements and challenges in the next decade. The Leading Health Indicators are intended to help everyone more easily understand the importance of health promotion and disease prevention and to encourage wide participation in improving health in the next decade. Developing strategies and action plans to address one or more of these indicators can have a profound effect on increasing the quality and years of healthy life and eliminating health disparities—creating healthy people in healthy communities. Access to healthcare, United States,1997
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