In summary, there are innumerable areas in which public health practitioners and epidemiologists have not yet effectively modified public policy in the inter¬est of improved health. Exercising "societal responsi¬bility" in the application of epidemiologic findings is within the province of community health nurses but will necessitate the active involvement of the citizen- consumer. Community health nurses collaborating with community members can most effectively com¬bine epidemiologic knowledge and aggregate-level strategies to effect change on the broadest scale.