The American Heart Association has a critical understanding of how to handle risks and threats, which has helped it manage emergencies and disasters. The association incorporates the annually compiled up-to-date statistics on stroke, heart disease, and other vascular diseases to guide its decision-making process and analyze populations’ health trends by monitoring cardiovascular disease and health within the population. Over time, AHA’s public policy priorities have enabled it to expand to incorporate affordable healthcare access and active living and nutrition security promotion.
For the American Heart Association (AHA) to establish and improve health outcome goals and objectives, it relies on twelve fundamental elements in its research guide program. A broad group of significant stakeholders developed the research program steered by twelve essential elements. The stakeholders constitute science volunteers, and the association’s board approves them as directors. Some of the research elements related to social health determinants and socioeconomic environment are; focused on individuals and not just projects and diverse populations in AHA-funded research on participant populations (Elkind et al., 2020). Further, the association’s research program ensures that it will achieve an extraordinary effect in science and its mission in every area of overall health and well-being by providing answers to the right questions.
The heart and stroke statistics, a collaborative effort of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the AHA, the National Institutes of Health, and associated government agencies, is a valuable resource for AHA’s researchers. The vital statistics and core indicators help the association determine the prevalence, incidence, mortality, heart diseases, and significant and total cardiovascular disease within the population (Fanaroff et al., 2019). With the knowledge, AHA then determines the right evidence-based approach, based on research, to guide and analyze the provision of health services.
AHA understands that natural disasters and emergencies can negatively impact mental and physical health. Therefore, it advises the population to take time to note their medical conditions, medications, and allergies and keep the information on the “go-kit” (Warner et al., 2020). Another association’s quick tip is that people should go during evacuations; people must bring their health and medication information, even if temporary. Further, people should research open pharmacies for refills in case of loss, damages, or information being left behind (Elkind et al., 2020). Lastly, the association provides a supplies checklist and guidelines on preparing for an emergency using its patient preparedness plan.
AHA’s process that allows it to stay connected with the public health control systems and surveillance to increase how it responds to damages, risks, and health threats is first-aid use. As such, the association ensures that the staff and the public understand the significance of first aid competence, which includes recognizing, evaluating, and prioritizing first aid needs. Further, through regulatory constraints and training, AHA provides care using the right behaviors, knowledge, and skills (Warner et al., 2020). Lastly, the process ensures the staff acknowledges restrictions and seeks additional care whenever needed.
For more than a century, the association’s involvement with the community has strengthened acute cardiovascular care systems and public health infrastructure. For example, AHA’s efforts to enhance tobacco control, nutrition security, and blood pressure make workplaces establish and maintain healthier practices (Fanaroff et al., 2019). Further, AHA’s actions are also responsible for supporting a healthier population through local, federal, and state advocacy levels have allowed the association to make an everyday difference in the community.
Through AHA’s public policy, the association prioritizes how it relates with the population, which has enabled it to expand its services to incorporate affordable healthcare access, nutrition security promotion, and active living. The relationship the association has with the public has allowed it to maintain a positive connection that has increased its response to risks, damages, and threats. Through the connection, AHA better understands how to incorporate statistics to analyze and guide health service provision.
References
Elkind, M., Harrington, R. A., & Benjamin, I. J. (2020). The Role of the American Heart Association in the Global COVID-19 Pandemic. Circulation, 141(15), e743–e745. Web.
Fanaroff, A. C., Califf, R. M., Windecker, S., Smith, S. C., & Lopes, R. D. (2019). Levels of evidence supporting American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association and European Society of Cardiology Guidelines, 2008-2018. Jama, 321, 11, 1069-1080.
Warner, J. J., Benjamin, I. J., Churchwell, K., Firestone, G., Gardner, T. J., Johnson, J. C., Ng- Osorio, J., Rodriguez, C. J., Todman, L., Yaffe, K., & Harrington, R. A. (2020). Advancing healthcare reform: The American Heart Association’s 2020 statement of principles for adequate, accessible, and affordable health care: A presidential advisory from the American Heart Association. Circulation, 141(10), 601-614. Web.