Chronic Disease Prevention & Health Promotion

Chronic diseases—such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes—are the leading causes of death and disability in the United States. Almost 70% of all deaths in the U.S. are caused by chronic diseases. 

The good news is that chronic diseases are also very preventable.  Adopting healthy behaviors such as eating nutritious foods, being physically active, and avoiding tobacco use can prevent or control the devastating effects of these diseases.

CDPH’s Office of Health Promotion strives to help Clevelanders move toward a state of optimal health through lifestyle changes.  The Office of Health Promotion employs a combination of efforts to enhance awareness, change behavior and create environments that support good health practices.  The office's primary chronic disease prevention program is called Steps to a Healthier Cleveland.

How healthy (or unhealthy) are Clevelanders?

In 2008, Steps to a Healthier Cleveland released new data about how chronic diseases—diabetes, asthma and obesity—impact Cleveland adults and youth.   Data also include information about various behaviors that are known risk factors for these diseases, such as tobacco use, lack of physical activity and poor nutrition.

Data were collected via 2005 and 2006 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Surveys (BRFSS) and the 2007 Youth Risk Behavior Surveys (YRBS), in partnership with the Case Western Reserve University and its Center for Health Promotion Research and Center for Adolescent Health. 

Read the full press release 

• Data brief: Adult Obesity in Cleveland (2005-2006) 
• Data brief: Adult Diabetes in Cleveland (2005-2006) 
• Data brief: Adult Asthma in Cleveland (2005-2006) 
• Data brief: Adult Tobacco Use in Cleveland (2005-2006) 
• Report: Cleveland Youth Risk Behavior Survey (2007)