A CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH-EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR RURAL SCHOOLS

Public understanding of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors and primary prevention has increased, due in part to community prevention efforts. However, many segments of society are difficult to reach. Suc h groups still need public education to acquire the knowledge that can lead to behavior change. Community intervention programs in rural are as face the challenge of disseminating health information to widely sc attered populations isolated by difficult terrain and weather, and res tricted by the sparsity of channels for mass communication. School.hea lth promotion programs, because of the special role schools play in ru ral communities, can help reach rural populations. During a five-year period, the Otsego-Schoharie Healthy Heart Program, a state-funded com munity intervention program, provided presentations to 18% of the comb ined total population of two rural counties through its school-based c omponent. It also helped promote other program initiatives by establis hing linkages in the community. Schools provide an effective channel f or health promotion efforts to reach rural populations.