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About Healthy People 2020

Who is responsible for Healthy People 2020?

Healthy People is managed by the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

The development of Healthy People is a collaborative effort that involves support and guidance from:

How is Healthy People 2020 funded?

The Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP) coordinates the Healthy People initiative, which includes agencies from U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and other Federal departments. Individual agencies collaborate with ODPHP to fund agency-specific objectives. The National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) serves as the Healthy People data support team and provides funding for the major national data sources used to track many Healthy People measures.

How can I get involved with Healthy People 2020?

There are many ways to get involved with Healthy People 2020:

Are there any internship or employment opportunities with Healthy People 2020?

Internship or employment opportunities with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) can be found on the following Web sites:

I want a Healthy People 2020 staff person to speak at my event. Who should I contact?

Staff from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) may be available to speak at your Healthy People event. Contact the team by email at healthypeople@nhic.org. Please provide the following information:

  • Your name and contact information
  • The date, time, and location of your planned event
  • The purpose and theme of your event
  • A list of organizations and individuals sponsoring your event

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Citing Healthy People 2020

How do I cite (reference) Healthy People 2020?

The suggested citation for Healthy People is:

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. Healthy People 2020. Washington, DC. Available at [Specific URL]. Accessed [Date URL was accessed].

How do I obtain permission to quote, print, or use content from Healthy People 2020?

The text of HealthyPeople.gov is in the public domain. Materials that are in the public domain may be linked to and reprinted without permission, as long as Healthy People 2020 is properly cited.

Please note, however, there are restrictions on the use of the photographs on HealthyPeople.gov; they are not transferable and are not in the public domain.

Additionally, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) seal and logo are for official use only. They may not be used by the private sector.

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Data and Objectives

How are objective targets selected?

Targets for the objectives were set using science-based methods, such as:

  • Modeling
  • Projecting trends
  • Knowledge of scientific findings and current interventions

Where there was not adequate data, knowledge, or expertise, Healthy People 2020 targets were set using a 10-percent improvement rate, which is considered challenging yet achievable. This means we can expect that about half of the Healthy People 2020 targets will reach a 10-percent improvement by the end of the decade.

On a case-by-case basis, other alternative target-setting methods were used as appropriate (e.g., “total elimination”; consistency with national programs, regulations, policies, or laws; or retention of Healthy People 2010 targets).

Justifications for targets set using science-based or alternative methods will be available on HealthyPeople.gov later this year.

Where can I find the operational (detailed) definitions for Healthy People 2020 objectives?

Operational definitions can be found at the Health Indicators Warehouse (HIW). When reviewing Healthy People objectives, click on the “Data from HHS Health Indicators Warehouse” link. Then select the “overview” tab.

Health Indicators Warehouse image

Alternatively, you can go to the HIW and search by objective. Simply type the objective number (such as C-1) in the search box at the top of the page.

Where can I find a Healthy People 2020 methodology section with ICD-10 codes (International Classification of Diseases)?

ICD-10 codes can be found at the Health Indicators Warehouse (HIW). When reviewing Healthy People objectives, click on the “Data from HHS Health Indicators Warehouse” link. Then select the “overview” tab. The ICD-10 codes and age-adjustment groups are listed when available.

Health Indicators Warehouse image

You can also find this information by going to the HIW and searching by objective. Simply type the objective number (such as C-1) in the search box at the top of the page.

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Healthy People 2010

Where can I find information and objectives on Healthy People 2010?

Whenever possible, objectives in Healthy People 2020 include a link to DATA2010, where the corresponding objective in Healthy People 2010 can be found. To view this link, click on the “view details” button next to a specific objective, and if available, the link will be listed under “more information.”

Data 2010 image

The Healthy People 2010 Web site can be accessed by visiting http://www.healthypeople.gov/2010/.

How do I find out if the Healthy People 2010 objectives were met?

The Healthy People 2010 Final Review was released on October 6, 2011.

Still have questions?

For general questions about Healthy People, contact the team by email at healthypeople@nhic.org.

For technical questions about the Healthy People data, contact the data team at the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) by email at HP2020DATA@CDC.gov.

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