Awareness about thrombosis overall, and venous thromboembolism (VTE) in particular, is low. VTE can present as both acute deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary embolism (PE), and as a chronic condition. The risk of having a recurrent event within 12 months of the first event has been reported as high as 14% with one third having a recurrence within 10 years. The risk of experiencing a recurrent event is impacted by risk factors that can be persistent (e.g., cancer), transient (e.g., hospitalization) or unprovoking (e.g., older age). It has also been reported that VTE rates are higher in minority groups, when compared to those of their white counterparts. Although proven risk assessment models, prophylaxis, and treatment protocols are available and shown to result in significant reduction in PE-related death, there remains a lack of knowledge and awareness surrounding VTE prevention, treatment, and management among public health professionals, health care providers, and patients.
Through our program we aim to follow four strategies to improve awareness of VTE prevention, treatment, and management. Each strategy will complement one another by contributing to the advancement of the program aim. Our strategies promote VTE awareness among public health professionals (strategy [S] 1), VTE patients within the public (S3), and health care providers (S4), through activities informed by information collected to address data gaps within these groups (S2). To address qualitative and quantitative data gaps in VTE surveillance, knowledge, and awareness (S2), among public health professionals (S1) and VTE patients (S3), we will develop and pilot a customizable toolkit for generating marketing materials (e.g., media posts, surveillance status reports, and evidence-based practice one pagers) in Oklahoma, that will be packaged for modification and replication on a national scale. For Healthcare providers (S4), this same approach will be used, but piloted on a national scale in partnership with organizations such as National Blood Clot Alliance. Pilot testing in S1 and S3 will be done in Oklahoma because it mirrors the U.S. in the distribution of racial minorities, with a slight over-representation of American Indians/Native Americans, which will benefit subsequent interventions by providing valuable insights regarding barriers and solutions to assessing and implementing VTE campaigns among multiple racial and ethnic groups.
At the completion of the project, we expect the following outcomes to be achieved with the full execution of the proposed strategies: 1) increase the number of reports from surveillance findings to public health professionals in Oklahoma state and local health departments, 2) increase the number of informational materials and messages disseminated by partners, 3) increased number of best practices on VTE screening and treatment to health care audiences, 4) increase the number of public health professionals who are aware of public health surveillance data and evidence-based VTE prevention and management strategies, 5) increase the number of individuals in the public who are aware of information related to prevention, screening, and treatment of VTE, and 6) increase the number of health care providers who are aware of tools, evidence-based guidelines, and best practices for VTE screening and management. Achieving the proposed strategies will expand and advance CDC’s current work on education, outreach, and public awareness to VTE, contribute to the knowledge base in VTE education, prevention, and management, and will support Healthy People 2030 goals in Health Information Technology, Health Care Access and Quality, as well as addressing the priority population of older adults. By fulfilling the project aim and achieving the proposed outcomes, the program will complement CDC’s ongoing work by building capacity for awareness and education on VTE, a leading contributor of disease burden globally is seeing a steady upward tr
