January 22, 2015 – Target Audience

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Anchor lead:  A program in rural Maine shows that targeting your audience really does help reduce heart disease, Elizabeth Tracey reports

Forty years of data don’t lie: when residents of a rural Maine county took part in a targeted risk reduction program for heart disease, mortality and hospitalizations declined and heathcare savings accrued.  Arielle Medford, a medical student at Johns Hopkins and one author of an upcoming book on reducing heart disease, says targeted approach is really the operative term.

Medford: One thing that we’re trying to do with the ABCD’s of Heart Healthy Living is really making sure we’re toning down our language.  The intention is certainly not to dumb things down but it is more educational for patients if they’re not having to worry about looking language up later to understand it.  It’s also much more collaborative when patients feel they’re partnering with doctors rather than following commands.  These integrative approaches where you’re actually making patients themselves empowered to do things, I think that’s the big key here and certainly I think it’s reflected in the study.   :29

At Johns Hopkins, I’m Elizabeth Tracey.