OCDPA Common Messages
Download PDF versionOCDPA's Evidence-Informed Messages
April, 2010
The Ontario Chronic Disease Prevention Alliance (OCDPA), in consultation with external experts, has developed messages for use by individuals, groups and organizations to focus attention and promote collective action on chronic disease prevention issues and to improve the health of Ontarians. The evidence-informed messages address the following chronic disease risk factors:
- High-risk Alcohol Consumption
- Physical Inactivity
- Poor Mental Health
- Tobacco Use Exposure
- Unhealthy Eating
The messages use a "socio-environmental approach" to chronic disease prevention and are framed around the central themes of "availability and accessibility". Each of the evidence-supported messages relate to actions that can be taken as part of a comprehensive approach to support healthier living conditions and to make healthy choices the easy choice for Ontarians.
It is important to note that the messages represent a comprehensive package, all of which need to be pursued over time in order to achieve a comprehensive approach to health promotion and chronic disease prevention. Partnership and shared responsibility across sectors are needed to influence sustainable system change. Different organizations might be involved in the various aspects of the promotion, use, and action of the messages which may not occur simultaneously. In order to maximize impact, all messages are necessary.
Working in parallel to advance OCDPA's evidence-informed messages can result in:
- Focused attention and action on chronic disease prevention issues;
- Strategic alignment of policy, planning, and practice to support chronic disease prevention efforts;
- A shift in policy and practice to an evidence-informed, multiple-risk factor, multiple-setting approach that strengthens the chronic disease prevention agenda;
- Increase impact of chronic disease prevention efforts; and
- A comprehensive, system-wide approach to chronic disease prevention.
