The AstraZeneca HealthCare Foundation’s Connections for Cardiovascular HealthSM program today announced a grant of $250,000 to the Elkhorn Logan Valley Public Health Department to support its Operation Heart to Heart program. This is the second consecutive year in which the Elkhorn Logan Valley Public Health Department has received a grant from the AstraZeneca HealthCare Foundation, totaling $500,000.
Operation Heart to Heart works to reduce the incidence of cardiovascular disease and increase health screening opportunities among agricultural laborers and their families in Burt, Cuming, Madison and Stanton counties in Nebraska by providing innovative cardiovascular health screening opportunities, ongoing case management, and tracking and heart health education.
“We are excited to continue our Operation Heart to Heart program as it has enormous potential to make life-saving differences among the program participants and in the community,” said Gina Uhing, health director, Elkhorn Logan Valley Public Health Department. “With agricultural workers and their families being so prevalent in our area, we intend to offer free cardiovascular risk screenings to residents as well as free case management services to those found to be at elevated risk. By including the entire family in this process, Operation Heart to Heart hopes to increase the health and wellness throughout the family unit.”
As a result of previous funding from the AstraZeneca HealthCare Foundation, in 2013, more than 1,000 people participated in heart health educational sessions. Of those, 79% increased their heart health knowledge. In addition, only 37 percent of the 650 screening and education participants knew the value of a normal blood pressure reading at the beginning of the program, which increased to 92 percent by the end of the program. Case management was provided to agricultural workers based upon screening and risk assessment. Improvements from the case management group included: 83% lost weight (201 total pounds lost), 72% decreased their blood pressure by 5 points or more, triglycerides, cholesterol, body mass index and glucose were reduced overall.
“Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States, and organizations like the Elkhorn Logan Valley Public Health Department are creating innovative programs to help prevent and decrease the associated risks with this devastating disease,” said James W. Blasetto, M.D., MPH, FACC, chairman of the AstraZeneca HealthCare Foundation.
Visit www.elvphd.org to learn more about the Operation Heart to Heart program at Elkhorn Logan Valley Public Health Department.