The HERO Board of Directors has approved a five-year, four-phase research plan.

PHASE ONE defines the impact of the modification of specific single risk factors and certain risk factor combinations on health care costs; and how the costs relate to specific diseases. This will determine the reward (reduction in costs and related specific diseases) when risk factor(s) are eliminated; and the penalty (unnecessary costs and preventable diseases) when risk factors are present and maintained. As these data become available through current research, the impact of the modification of specific risk factor(s) on costs and diseases will be prioritized. The risk factor(s) which has the greatest impact on costs and diseases will be number one. The risk factor(s) with the second greatest impact will be number two, the third number three and so on. This ranking of the impact of risk factors will be referred to as the HERO scale.

PHASE TWO is a concentrated effort to learn more about behavioral change, what works, what does not and how to do it most efficiently. The research will determine the most effective intervention methods and techniques. The objective is to identify specific intervention activities which result in the greatest long term behavioral change and permanent risk reduction. This intervention research will concentrate initially on those specific risk factor(s) which are proven in Phase One to have the greatest impact in creating unnecessary medical costs and preventable diseases. Phase Two will develop not only the behavioral psychology parameters for the most effective interventions, but will also create specific program approaches which produce the most frequent and consistent, long term behavioral change.

PHASE THREE deals with creating new attitudes, objectives and practices relative to health promotion and disease prevention within the practice of medicine. The objective is to get physicians and para-medical professionals to understand and accept the HERO generated research data and make health promotion a routine part of the practice of medicine. One approach is to have HERO health promotion research published in traditional medical journals, especially those read by primary care physicians. Another effort is for HERO to establish a working relationship with several medical schools, and family practice residency training programs. The intent is to influence the teaching curriculum to include greater emphasis on health promotion. This will be accomplished by convincing key thought leaders in the medical profession to become champions for health promotion and make it a part of the teaching - training experience of future physicians.

PHASE FOUR is the age of health promotion research specialization. Currently, most health promotion research is highly generalized. A one size fits all philosophy prevails. HERO recognizes that there are specific research needs and opportunities which cannot be generalized. These health promotion research opportunities are divided into: 1) specific populations, 2) settings, and 3) delivery modes. Within these research areas the following have initial research priorities. Specific populations: 1) children, 2) elderly, 3) the indigent, and 4) minorities. Settings to be researched are: 1) the medical profession, 2) community, 3) schools, and 4) the worksite. In regard to delivery mode, the following will be researched: 1) person to person, 2) mail, 3) phone, and 4) internet. The overall objective is to determine the most effective health promotion protocols for each of the specific populations; when delivered to the various settings; by the different delivery modes.

© 2007 by HERO