What are Leading Health Indicators?
In addition to the HP 2010 objectives, ten leading health indicators were identified to reflect major public health concerns in the United States. They were chosen based on: • their ability to motivate action • the availability of data to measure their progress • their relevance as broad public health issues. HP 2010 objectives specific to these ten leading health indicators will be used to track progress of the health of the nation. Although oral health per se is not included in this list as a separate priority, aspects of oral health fall under a number of the health indicators. For example, tobacco use is a risk factor for oral cancer and periodontal disease. Access to dental care is a major problem for a significant proportion of the population.
