About This Program

Preventive Health Partnership
Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the Preventive Health Partnership and why is it important?

A: Collectively, cardiovascular disease (including stroke), cancer, and diabetes account for approximately two thirds of all deaths in the United States and about $700 billion in direct and indirect economic costs each year. Current approaches to health promotion and prevention of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes do not approach the potential of the existing state of knowledge. A concerted effort to increase application of public health and clinical interventions of known efficacy to reduce prevalence of tobacco use, poor diet, and insufficient physical activity—the major risk factors for these diseases—and to increase utilization of screening tests for their early detection could substantially reduce the human and economic cost of these diseases.

                The American Cancer Society, American Diabetes Association, and American Heart Association are collaborating to develop and pursue strategies for the prevention and early detection of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes.  The goal of this joint venture is to stimulate substantial improvements in primary prevention and early detection through collaboration between key organizations, greater public awareness about healthy lifestyles, legislative action that results in more funding for and access to primary prevention programs and research, and reconsideration of the concept of the periodic medical checkup as an effective platform for prevention, early detection, and treatment.

                Our three organizations will work together to insure that prevention is a centerpiece of a new healthcare system that optimizes the delivery of clinical preventive services in a cost effective manor, and that people have access to those services.  This emphasis on establishing new models for preventive care would be designed to compliment other ongoing efforts to call attention to problems involving our nation’s healthcare system and people’s access to it. 

Q: What is “Everyday Choices For A Healthier Life?” 

A: The American Cancer Society, American Diabetes Association and American Heart Association joined together in a historic collaboration to encourage the prevention and early detection of cancer, diabetes, heart disease and stroke. “Everyday Choices For A Healthier Life” is a joint initiative with the goal of stimulating improvements in disease prevention and early detection by increasing public awareness about healthy lifestyles, increasing the focus on prevention among healthcare providers, and supporting legislative action to increase funding for and access to prevention programs and research. In 2006, we introduced “Sisterhood is Healthy,” a fully integrated campaign  of public service announcements (PSAs) dedicated specifically to the high-risk African American community focusing on African American women. The campaign’s call to action is basic: eat right, don’t smoke, get active and see your doctor. The messages focus on the idea of sisterhood and urge women to encourage and support their friends to eat right and get active.

In 2009 we introduced another campaign: “What Health Tests Do YOU Need?”


Q: What is the “What Health Tests Do YOU Need?” campaign?

A: Many people are not being screened early and often enough for major chronic diseases according to the guidelines established by the American Cancer Society, American Diabetes Association, and American Heart Association. In addition to general education about the importance of screening and early detection, consumers and providers need tools that will facilitate action regarding the utilization of key preventive services.

The American Cancer Society, American Diabetes Association and American Heart Association have created a set of “health test” materials designed for use in a clinical setting to facilitate communication between a patient and a provider about recommended screenings and to increase the number of people being screened for chronic diseases. 

Ideally, this card would be made available to patients in the presence of a healthcare provider who could provide a brief overview of the card and the importance of screenings and early detection. As part of that conversation, the provider would identify the appropriate screenings with the individual, discuss risk factors, and identify options for getting the recommended tests.

Based on the results of our pre-market evaluations, the card is an effective means by which to prompt clinicians to recommend, administer, and refer patients for health screenings. Our clinical evaluations strongly suggest that the card is most effective when clinics actively distribute it to patients at check-in or on their way to the exam room.  We also recommend that clinicians take a moment to proactively ask patients if they read the card and have any questions, rather than wait for them to ask.

Q: How will the organizations combine advocacy efforts?

A: In the advocacy arena, the American Cancer Society, American Diabetes Association and American Heart Association work collaboratively to raise awareness among policymakers of the staggering human and financial costs of these chronic diseases by promoting legislation to increase funding and research into prevention and early detection. The organizations have a long history of working collaboratively to reduce tobacco use and eliminate harmful effects of smoking and secondhand smoke from the environment. The three organizations also advocate that states and local school districts increase the amount of physical education provided in schools to ensure that every student in grades K-8 participates in daily physical education. Through expanded physical education in schools, the health among our young people can be significantly improved, and the behaviors and activities they learn can help guide them towards a lifetime of physical fitness. An additional benefit of working collectively is that advocating the same set of core health recommendations will drive home the message that a healthy diet and weight loss and/or weight maintenance, physical activity, avoidance of tobacco and early detection have the potential to significantly reduce the prevalence of cancer, diabetes, heart disease and stroke.