Executives -- Overview -- What is the Community Preventive Services Task Force? What is its Congressional mandate? -- How does the Task Force develop its recommendations? -- How do communities, organizations, and businesses use Task Force recommendations? -- How does the Task Force help to prevent and limit the burden of cardiovascular disease? -- What are major evidence gaps? Why are they important? How are they filled? -- What evidence gaps were found within the reviews in the cardiovascular disease topic? -- How has the Task Force addressed other public health challenges? What is the current full set of Task Force recommendations? -- How does the Task Force set priorities for future reviews? -- What are the key accomplishments over the last year? -- What's ahead? -- References -- Appendix A. List of current Task Force members -- Appendix B. Official Task Force liaison agencies and organizations -- Appendix C. The Utility of community preventive services -- Appendix D. How the Community Preventive Services Task Force relates to its sister task force-the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force -- Appendix E. The work of the Community Preventive Services Task Force -- Appendix F. List of Task Force recommendations and other findings -- Appendix G. The Community Guide in action: examples of communities using Task Force findings and recommendations -- Appendix H. Evidence gaps identified in reviews within the cardiovascular disease topic? -- How has the Task Force addressed other public health challenges? What is the current full set of Task Force recommendations? -- How does the Task Force set priorities for future reviews? -- What are the key accomplishments over the last year? -- What's ahead? -- References -- Appendix A. List of current Task Force members -- Appendix B. Official Task Force liaison agencies and organizations -- Appendix C. The Utility of community preventive services -- Appendix D. How the Community Preventive Services Task Force relates to its sister task force-the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force -- Appendix E. The work of the Community Preventive Services Task Force. -- Appendix F. List of Task Force recommendations and other findings -- Appendix G. The Community Guide in action: examples of communities using Task Force findings and recommendations -- Appendix H. Evidence gaps identified in reviews within the cardiovascular disease.

The intent of the 2013 Annual Report to Congress and future reports is to feature the efforts of the Community Preventive Services Task Force (Task Force) related to a topic of high relevance to reducing the burden that preventable disease, injury, and disability places on individuals, families, businesses, communities, and the health system. For the 2013 report, cardiovascular disease--commonly known as "heart disease and stroke"--is the focal point. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the nation's number one killer of both men and women. This report describes how the Task Force arrives at proven, evidence-based recommendations for ways to strengthen public health efforts to prevent CVD, save lives, and make better use of our health resources. The report additionally highlights where research and program evaluation are needed to fill gaps in the evidence, to further prevent and reduce CVD. This 2013 report and future reports will also summarize the full list of prevention opportunities reviewed by the Task Force, list key accomplishments since the previous report, and lay out priorities and plans for coming years.

Stephen B. Thacker CDC Library collection

United States