Healthy People, an initiative coordinated by the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, identifies public health priorities to help individuals, organizations, and communities across the U.S. improve health and well-being. Healthy People 2030, the initiative’s fifth iteration, builds on knowledge gained over four decades. It provides science-based, ten-year national objectives for improving the health of all Americans. Healthy People has established benchmarks and monitored progress over time in order to:
- Encourage collaborations across communities and sectors.
- Empower individuals to make informed health decisions.
- Measure the impact of prevention activities.
Communication and sensory processes are important for health and well-being. In the U.S., hearing loss is the third most common chronic physical condition, and an estimated 1 in 6 people has a moderate-to-severe communication disorder. Problems with communication or balance can lead to social isolation, difficulty understanding medical advice, and limited educational and professional success. Problems with taste or smell can lead to poor nutrition and the inability to detect smoke, gas leaks, or spoiled foods.
The Healthy People objectives are designed to ensure that all Americans, from birth through old age, will benefit from scientific advances in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of hearing and other sensory or communication disorders.