Public health activities for the prevention of cerebrovascular diseases at Oho-machi, Ibaraki / 日本農村医学会雑誌

ABSTRACT

With an aim at reducing the incidence of cerebral apoplexy to half in three years, the Institute of Community Medicine, the University of Tsukuba, worked out a community health program for the inhabitants of Oho-machi, a predominantly rural community in Ibaraki Prefecture.<BR>A cerebrovascular disease prevention council was set up in the town to map out plans to execute health care services. An expert committee was set up to formulate health examination standards and health guidance. The governance of the health grogram is to be transferred from the Institute to the town council.<BR>Initially, considerable effort was exerted to encourage inhabitants to participate in the mass health screening. With importance placed on livelihood and health guidance, effort was made to increase the efficiency as well as the quality of the self-governing health care delivery.<BR>As a result, the health examination attendance has been increased and health conditions improved remarkably. Particularly, the cardiovascular disease death rate has gone down ward among the inhabitants at the prime of life.