Steps to a Healthier Salinas

The Steps to a Healthier Salinas program, part of the CDC's Healthy Communities Program, works with schools, health care providers, work sites and community leaders to reduce the burden of chronic disease. Steps to a Healthier Salinas collaborates with over 30 businesses and organizations in Salinas to create system changes, policy adoption, and to increase the community's understanding of health issues. In schools and the broader community, the program provides increased opportunities for nutritious food and physical activity and improved management of asthma, diabetes, and other chronic diseases. Community Health Centers assisted with implementing a Patient Electronic Care System to improve self-management skills for patients with chronic diseases. The program targets racial and ethnic minority groups, with a special emphasis on Hispanics or Latinos, low-income populations, farm workers, and school-age children.

The Steps to a Healthier Salinas program aims to improve the health and quality of life for individuals at risk or diagnosed with diabetes, asthma, and obesity and other chronic diseases by addressing three primary risk factors - physical inactivity, poor nutrition, and tobacco use.

Through the Steps to a Healthier Salinas program, over 140 city, county and company policies were implemented to address health factors. Between September 2003 and April 2006, the percentage of patients with controlled blood pressure increased from 32% to 40%. During this same period, the number of patients obtaining dilated eye exams and foot exams increased from 24% to 48% and from 25% to 32%, respectively. There was a 22% increase in healthy weight for all men in Salinas, and 12% increase in healthy weight for Latinos. Salinas residents had a 12% improvement in moderate physical activity, including a 15% increase for men and 21% increase for Latinos.