Linking public health science and practice: an example from the Canadian Heart Health Initiative Available to Purchase

Over 60 per cent of adults have at least one modifiable cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factor. Community‐based initiatives are a central component of a population‐based CVD risk reduction strategy. Describes the development of an information system in which CHHIOP collected quantitative and qualitative information on heart health activities in communities, distilled the information, and then disseminated it to both local and provincial public health practitioners. The goal was to link science and practice tightly, so professionals received timely and relevant information in order to enhance continuously the quality of the public health programming.