Gloria Latimer has worked for the state health department in Colorado for 15 years. Her previous experience as Health Education Director for a county health department, current state level work and service on several national committees for chronic diseases brings a diverse perspective to emerging public health issues. In March 2004, Gloria accepted the position of Program Manager for the Department’s cardiovascular disease and stroke prevention program. She has worked on several public health issues as a professional and volunteer. Her many achievements include receiving an award for distinguished service in public health.

Stroke is the primary cause of long-term disability and the third leading cause of death in our state. More than 3,000 Coloradoans died from stroke in 2003; that is one person about every three hours. While we are making progress on reducing risk factors for stroke, such as increasing physical activity and decreasing smoking, the total number of hospitalizations for cardiovascular diseases is increasing and the death rate is increasing slightly. National and state forecasts for stroke predict that the number of people impacted by stroke will continue to increase as our population increases and ages over the next two decades. This will be complicated by the costly and emotionally challenging issues of rehabilitation after a stroke. The need for prevention has never been greater.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment takes a public health approach to reducing cardiovascular disease. Our activities are population based rather than direct services to patients. We work with healthcare systems, health related agencies, volunteers, community members, and policy makers to develop training programs and policies that will improve stroke care in Colorado. The department receives funding from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) for cardiovascular disease and stroke prevention activities. At this time, there are no state funds available for heart disease and stroke prevention. However, the program is in the third year of a five-year grant with the CDC. Requirements of the grant are to establish a diverse coalition, develop a state plan to reduce cardiovascular disease and stroke, collect data, promote policies and evaluate the impact of the grant activities.

The coalition that has been established is known as the Cardiovascular Health Coalition. It is a volunteer group of more than 100 people interested in the many issues regarding cardiovascular disease and stroke. Rocky Mountain Stroke Association, National Stroke Association, and American Stroke Association are members. Many members work within the healthcare field, while others are interested in the issues related to stroke for personal reasons. There are four task forces within the coalition: Stroke Prevention, Provider Education, Policy Advocacy, and Community Outreach. Since the readers of this web page are more likely to be interested in the activities of the Stroke Prevention and Community Outreach task forces, I’ll mention a few key activities of each task force.

The Stroke Prevention Task force was formerly known as the Stroke Advisory Board. This 17 member board was appointed by the Governor’s Office in 2002 to develop a set of recommendations on stroke prevention and treatment. The recommendations can be found on the state health department’s Cardiovascular Health web site at www.cdphe.co.us/pp/cvd. From the research conducted for the development of the recommendations, it was found that only about 33% of adults know the signs and symptoms of a stroke. So one of the priorities for the task force is to promote educational campaigns about stroke and the importance of calling 911 to receive prompt treatment. Another finding was that training and treatment protocols varied across the state. Our program is working with healthcare systems, the Rocky Mountain Stroke Association, the National Stroke Association, and the American Stroke Association to support guidelines and protocols for effective treatment. At this point in time, the program is not able to establish a statewide comprehensive approach to stroke prevention and treatment due to limited funding. Through the efforts of volunteers on the Cardiovascular Health Coalition and the Stroke Prevention Task Force, and collaborations with partners such as the Rocky Mountain Stroke Association, we are able to extend the reach of our program.

The Community Outreach Task Force is concerned with increasing public information and education about heart disease and stroke in communities across Colorado. The task force keeps the issues before the public by expanding previously developed public education campaigns such as the “Make the Link” campaign developed by the American Diabetes Association and the “Ask Your Doctor” campaign developed by the National Stroke Association. A major long-term goal is to have a centralized clearinghouse of resources for people impacted by heart disease and stroke.

We invite you to be a part of the Cardiovascular Health Coalition and the Stroke Prevention Task Force. Our next coalition meeting is May 6, 2005. Please call Gloria Latimer at 303.692.2562 to receive an invitation. And please visit our web site for more information on our efforts to reduce cardiovascular disease and stroke.