Dr. Jonathan Fielding, UCLA FSPH distinguished professor of health policy and management, was a key member of the advisory body for the National Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Objectives for 2030 — more commonly known as Healthy People 2030 — the 10-year plan for addressing the nation’s most pressing public health priorities and challenges. The report was released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) August 18.
Since 1980, HHS has set measurable objectives and targets to improve the health and well-being of the U.S. population. Fielding, a national public health leader who served as director and health officer of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health for 16 years, was part of an advisory committee of 13 external thought leaders who contributed to the 10-year objectives, along with a workgroup of subject-matter experts from more than 20 federal agencies. After serving as chair of Healthy People 2020, Fielding was chair emeritus for Healthy People 2030.
Healthy People 2030 establishes 355 measurable 10-year objectives, including first-time objectives on issues such as opioid use disorder, youth e-cigarette use, and resources for adapting Healthy People 2030 to emerging public health threats like COVID-19. For the first time, Healthy People 2030 also sets 10-year targets for objectives related to social determinants of health.
Under Fielding’s leadership, Healthy People has been at the forefront in that focus, which covers areas such as economic stability, education access and quality, health care access and quality, neighborhood and built environment, and social and community contexts that influence health. The new objectives also continue to prioritize health disparities, health equity, and health literacy.
Dr. Fielding is available for media interviews on this topic.
More information about Healthy People 2030 can be found at https://healthypeople.gov.
