Overview:

The term “heart disease” refers to several types of heart conditions. Heart disease, also known as cardiovascular disease, encompasses a variety of issues affecting the heart and blood vessels. This can include Heart failure, Coronary artery disease, Arrhythmia, Cardiomyopathy, along with many other diseases. It is important to know your risk factors so that these diseases can be prevented.

Plaque buildup in large arteries on the heart’s surface is the leading cause of coronary heart disease. These buildups narrow your arteries, decreasing blood flow to your heart. Some people may have coronary heart disease if the blood vessels in their heart do not respond correctly when the heart needs more oxygen-rich blood. Risk factors include an unhealthy diet, lack of exercise, obesity, and smoking. Healthy-lifestyle choices can help prevent the risk of atherosclerosis.

Problem Statement 

Heart disease remains the leading cause of death globally, accounting for nearly 18 million deaths per year, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). In the United States alone, heart disease causes about 1 in every 5 deaths, with over 695,000 fatalities reported in 2023. The widespread prevalence and high mortality rate underscore the urgent need for continued research, prevention strategies, and public awareness campaigns. Despite advances in medicine, lifestyle factors such as poor diet, lack of exercise, smoking, and stress continue to drive up heart disease rates, particularly in low-income and minority populations.

Previous efforts to combat heart disease include public health initiatives promoting healthier lifestyles, improvements in diagnostic tools, and medical innovations such as stents, bypass surgeries, and medications like statins. While these efforts have saved lives, disparities in access to care, underdiagnosis, and ongoing lifestyle challenges show that more targeted work is necessary. This project seeks to build on past efforts by exploring innovative education strategies and community interventions to reduce risk factors at the local level. By focusing on prevention and early detection, this work aims to significantly lower the incidence and impact of heart disease in vulnerable populations.

Objectives 

• Increase awareness about heart disease and health

• Decrease the percentage of heart disease by at least 30%

• Decrease vulnerably or prevent heart disease through education practices

Our goals

Goal 1:

Increase awareness and understanding of heart disease risk factors among young adults through education and outreach programs.

Goal 2:

Promote healthier lifestyle choices in at-risk communities to reduce the long-term incidence of heart disease.

Summary and Evaluation

This campaign project highlights the critical public health challenge posed by heart disease, which remains the leading cause of death globally and in the United States. Despite advancements in treatment and diagnosis, lifestyle-related risk factors such as poor diet, physical inactivity, smoking, and stress continue to significantly contribute to the rising prevalence of heart disease—especially among low-income and minority populations.

The project aims to tackle these challenges through a multi-pronged approach focusing on education, outreach, and prevention. By increasing awareness of risk factors and promoting healthier lifestyle choices, the campaign seeks to empower individuals—particularly young adults and at-risk communities—to take proactive steps toward heart health.

Evaluation Strategy:

The effectiveness of the campaign will be assessed through:

• Pre- and post-surveys to measure increases in knowledge and awareness.
• Community feedback on brochures and posters.
• Monitoring changes in engagement with local heart health resources.
• Tracking reductions in self-reported risk behaviors (e.g., smoking, poor diet).

Over time, these measures will help evaluate whether the campaign contributes to a measurable decrease in the risk and incidence of heart disease in the targeted populations.

Citations