Health District

The Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention Program (CDIP) focuses on the modifiable risk factors of tobacco use and exposure, lack of physical activity, and poor nutrition. In recent years, the focus has been expanded to include injury prevention and responsible cannabis use, including eliminating secondhand cannabis smoke exposure. These modifiable risk factors impact the top five leading causes of death in Washoe County. By moving the needle on these modifiable risk factors the CDIP goal is to reduce illness and premature deaths in Washoe County and improve quality of life of those that live, work, and visit our community.

Public health research has shown that that policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) changes can have the largest impact on improving population health, therefore, the CDIP focuses on PSE rather than individual behavior change strategies. Additionally, following the CDC approach for chronic disease prevention and health promotion, the CDIP strives to achieve health equity by eliminating health disparities and achieving optimal health for all Washoe County residents.