Black leaders' perceptions of the year 2000 public health goals for black Americans

We surveyed 1196 Black health and political leaders on their perceptions about the US Department of Health and Human Services' Healthy People 2000 public health goals. Respondents identified reducing the incidence of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, improving maternal and infant health, and controlling sexually transmitted diseases as the three most important public health goals for Black Americans that are amenable to intervention. The leaders assigned nearly all responsibility for prevention efforts to the federal government and the individual. With the American health care system now in flux, Black leaders need to organize to see that these priority issues are addressed.
Black-American political leaders and leaders in the area of health rated three of 21 of the US Department of Health and Human Services 'Healthy People 2000' goals as the most important. Almost 1,200 black health and political leaders were queried on their perceptions of the plan. These three goals for black Americans are reducing the incidence of AIDS, improving the health of infants and mothers and controlling the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. Those ranked next were preventing, treating and controlling heart disease and strokes, cancer and diabetes. The respondents hold individuals and the federal government responsible for achieving these goals. The federal, state and local legislators, mayors, public health officials, hospital administrators and other leaders ranked the 21 items both on importance and feasibility for change.