CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION’S HEALTHY BRAIN INITIATIVE: A PUBLIC HEALTH APPROACH TO COGNITIVE HEALTH

Abstract

Cognitive health, a crucial component of healthy aging, is a recently recognized public health issue. CDC, through its Healthy Brain Initiative, is working to advance cognitive aging as a vital, integral component of public health practice, in an effort to keep older Americans healthy and independent as long as possible. The Healthy Brain Initiative creates and supports partnerships, collects and reports data, increases awareness of cognitive aging, through utilization of its flagship publication, The Healthy Brain Initiative: The Public Health Road Map for State and National Partnerships, 2018–2023. The Road Map outlines 25-items within its Action Agenda that identify how state and local public health agencies and their partners can promote brain health, address cognitive impairment for persons living in the community, and address the needs of caregivers to persons with a cognitive impairment. Because dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, doesn’t have a cure, identifying and reducing risks are the best public health approaches for maintaining health and independence. The session will emphasize activities of partners implementing Road Map action items: The Alzheimer’s Association, a national organization providing assistance to state public health agencies; activities of CDC’s Healthy Brain Research Network which is a thematic network of the CDC Prevention Research Centers Program; and The Balm in Gilead’s efforts to increase awareness of cognition-related issues in African-American healthcare professionals and faith-based organizations; American College of Preventive Medicine will highlighted a new collaborative continuing education module for physicians; and the discussant will describe the HBI from a historical perspective and impact.