Strategic Planning for Chronic Disease Prevention in Rural America: Looking Through a PRISM Lens

Background: This study aims to use community level strategic planning for chronic disease prevention and share the outcomes of the process used by Mississippi Delta stakeholders within rural communities to prevent and reduce the negative impacts of chronic disease in their communities.

Methods: Participants used Prevention Impacts Simulation Model (PRISM) to project the reduction, compared with the status quo, in deaths and costs from implementing interventions within the communities. The tool includes 22 categories of chronic disease intervention programs and policies, and proposes likely short term and long term effects. Smoking, air pollution, poor nutrition, and lack of physical activity were addressed using PRISM, and the outputs were used to inform decisions and implement interventions.

Results: The use of PRISM showed that existing strategic planning efforts were likely to yield positive effects, and new interventions could be implemented to improve air quality and transportation, collaborating with the Department of Transportation. The Mississippi Delta Strategic Alliance also decided to expand existing interventions that will increase access to healthy food and reduce the use of tobacco.

Conclusions: The strategic planning process of The Mississippi Delta Strategic Alliance, along with the use of PRISM encouraged the implementation of new and improved interventions and policies for chronic disease prevention in rural communities within the Mississippi Delta