Understanding and improving health is part of the Healthy People 2020 initiative sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Healthy People 2020 strives to:

• Identify nationwide health improvement priorities.
• Increase public awareness and understanding of the determinants of health, disease, and disability and the opportunities for progress.
• Provide measurable objectives and goals that are applicable at the national, State, and local levels.
• Engage multiple sectors to take actions to strengthen policies and improve practices that are driven by the best available evidence and knowledge.
• Identify critical research, evaluation, and data collection needs.

New topic areas for 2020 include:

• Adolescent Health
• Blood Disorders and Blood Safety
• Dementias, Including Alzheimer’s Disease
• Early and Middle Childhood
• Genomics
• Global Health
• Healthcare-Associated Infections
• Health-Related Quality of Life and Well-Being
• Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Health
• Older Adults
• Preparedness
• Sleep Health
• Social Determinants of Health

More information about Healthy People 2020 is available at www.healthypeople.gov.