Health Education Program for Developing Communities
The Health Education Program for Developing Communities (HEPFDC) was created to provide the most important evidence-based healthcare information for “Saving the Most Lives and Preventing the Most Suffering” in the U.S. and globally.
Most patients we see in both developed and developing countries are suffering from diseases that are preventable. The 2008 WHO World Health Report emphasized the following as one of the most important problems in both developed and developing countries:
“Misdirected care. Resource allocation clusters around curative services at great cost, neglecting the potential of primary prevention and health promotion to prevent up to 70% of the disease burden.”
Because of the increased burden of disease due to lifestyle over the past 15 years, 70 percent is now considered a low estimate. Of all their healthcare needs, the greatest by far is for reliable health care information. Although life-saving information is available from the best evidence-based sources, it seldom reaches our patients or even their healthcare providers. Many websites provide conflicting, biased and erroneous advice, which is why this program was created.
The Program
- Provides evidence-based international standards and guidelines from the WHO and its collaborating partners such as the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- Empowers physicians, patients, families, congregations and the local community to “save the most lives and prevent the most suffering” through health promotion and prevention of their most common and serious health conditions.
- Includes global pandemics as well as WHO’s three “Slow Motion Disasters” of 1. Non-Communicable Disease (heart disease, stroke, diabetes, dementia, etc.) 2. Climate Change 3. Antibiotic Resistance.
- Enables an evidence-based holistic approach to care of the whole person: body, mind and spirit.
- Includes mental health and other recommendations for recovering from disasters, physical or sexual assault, or other serious accidental or war-inflicted injury.
- Includes the written Handbook and corresponding 60 full color Illustrations free for downloading in 9 languages:
- The 8.5 x 11 inch PDF files are either printed or viewed directly on mobile phone, computer or large screen projectors.
- The 11 x 17 inch PDF Illustration files are used for laminated posters.
- Provides life-saving evidence-based information for US and global:
- Healthcare organizations (Hospital, Clinic & Community)
- Provider training schools and courses
- Short and long-term missions
- Community Health Education (CHE)
- Community Health Education & Screening (CHE&S)
- Community Health Fairs (Usually includes CHE&S).
- Enables the integration of primary care and community health at the hospital, clinic/health center, and congregation/community/family levels of care. This remains “the key to community transformation and the success of healthcare systems in both developed and developing countries.”
Watch the video for more about the program
HEPFDC Blog
Unhealthy Diet Is By Far the Leading Cause of Early Death | Before COVID-19, unhealthy diet with too much meat, animal products, salt, sugar, processed and “fast” foods, and not enough plant-based foods, was the leading cause of early death and disability in the world.
According to the Lancet Commission: “Unhealthy diets pose a greater risk to morbidity and mortality than does unsafe sex, and alcohol, drug, and tobacco use combined.” (And this was before COVID-19) “About one-half of U.S. adults have diet-related chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, or Type-2 diabetes” (U.S. HHS & U.S. Dept of Agriculture. 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 8th ed. 2015.) Read more
