The Stanford Five-City Project
An Evidence-Based Practice
This practice has been Archived and is no longer maintained.
Description
The Stanford Five-City Project was a community cardiovascular health education intervention that took place in five medium-sized Californian cities. It compared two cities receiving the health education intervention with three reference communities. The educational programming was based on learning and community change theories to alter knowledge and attitudes related to cardiovascular health and self-efficacy to make behavioral changes for a healthier lifestyle.
The program used television and radio programs to increase awareness and knowledge of cardiovascular disease prevention and to teach skills to achieve behavior change. Weekly newspaper columns and print materials were distributed through local organizations and direct mail to information about community programs and risk reduction. Local classes, school programming, seminars, and workshops were conducted to educate the community. The education campaign ran for six years and was aimed at the entire population.
The program used television and radio programs to increase awareness and knowledge of cardiovascular disease prevention and to teach skills to achieve behavior change. Weekly newspaper columns and print materials were distributed through local organizations and direct mail to information about community programs and risk reduction. Local classes, school programming, seminars, and workshops were conducted to educate the community. The education campaign ran for six years and was aimed at the entire population.
Goal / Mission
The goal of this project was to improve cardiovascular health of two California communities.
Results / Accomplishments
Many studies have been conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the Five-City Project. Communities were surveyed at baseline and in three later surveys. After 30 to 64 months of education, intervention communities had significant (p<0.05) net reductions in plasma cholesterol level (2%), blood pressure (4%), resting pulse rate (3%), and smoking rate (13%). These risk factor reductions reduced the composite total mortality risk score by 15% and the coronary heart disease risk score by 16%. Three years following the end of the educational intervention, blood pressure improvements were maintained and coronary heart disease and all-cause mortality risk scores were maintained or continued to improve in treatment cities.
About this Promising Practice
Organization(s)
Stanford Center for Research in Disease Prevention
Primary Contact
Marilyn A. Winkleby, PhD
Stanford Center for Research in Disease Prevention
Stanford University School of Medicine
1000 Welch Rd
Palo Alto, CA 94304
(650) 723-7055
winkleby@stanford.edu
http://prevention.stanford.edu/
Stanford Center for Research in Disease Prevention
Stanford University School of Medicine
1000 Welch Rd
Palo Alto, CA 94304
(650) 723-7055
winkleby@stanford.edu
http://prevention.stanford.edu/
Topics
Health / Heart Disease & Stroke
Health / Physical Activity
Health / Physical Activity
Organization(s)
Stanford Center for Research in Disease Prevention
Source
American Journal of Epidemiology
Date of publication
1996
Date of implementation
1978
Location
California
For more details