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Alabama Life Research Institute

West Alabama Cardiovascular Health (WACH) Program

There is a high prevalence of heart disease, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and stroke in West Alabama. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the US and stroke is the 5th leading cause making it critical that we develop new and innovative approaches of decreasing risk factors.

Populations of focus are adults aged 18 and older with a hypertension crude prevalence of 53% or higher, as shown by data specifically at the census tract level.

Primary Goals

The primary goals of the WACH program are as follows:

  • Build and manage a coordinated network of partnerships that address identified barriers and needs within approved populations of focus, related to their social services and support needs (e.g., childcare, transportation, language translation, food assistance, and housing).
  • Deploy dedicated CHWs (or their equivalents) to provide a continuum of care and services which extend the benefits of clinical interventions and address social services and support needs leading to optimal health outcomes within approved populations of focus.
  • Increase the use of Alabama One Health Record, Alabama’s health information exchange by clinics and patients to better manage patient heart health.

WACH will help approach these goals by working with communities developing an understanding of individual and community factors that influence

  • Healthy diet
  • Stress reduction
  • Losing weight
  • Being physically active
  • Medication adherence
  • Pregnant mothers

Counties

County
Bibb County
Fayette County
Green County
Hale County
Lamar County
Perry County
Pickens County
Sumter County
Tuscaloosa County

Events

American Heart Associate You’re the Cure Advocacy Event

2024 Alabama Regular Legislative Session

We’re excited about our upcoming Alabama You’re the Cure at the Capitol lobby day and would like for you to join us! It’s not too late to sign up.  

Register to join us at the State House on Wednesday, April 10th! We’ll meet at 9 a.m. at the RSA Plaza Building for a morning program and lunch, and then walk across the street to the State House to meet with legislators. We expect the event to conclude by 2 p.m.  

With your help, we’ll urge state lawmakers to: 

  • Support cardiac emergency plans in schools. ensuring people are ready to take action at schools in the event of cardiac arrest. 
  • Fund for Double Up Food Bucks, improving access to nutritious foods for families.  
  • Close the coverage gap, helping 300,000 Alabamians have access to health care.  

We hope you’ll join us in Montgomery on April 10th – sign up today!  www.yourethecure.org  

Heart Disease and Stroke. You’re the Cure. 

Advocacy Department, DC 
1150 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 300 
Washington, DC 20036 
(202) 785-7900
advocate@yourthecure.org

Connect

Give your heart the love it deserves by prioritizing your heart health. Make every beat count and link with WACH Community Hearts: