This is one of the most interesting articles I've had the opportunity come across here, mostly because it reminds me a lot of my old job working at a community development corporation. I agree without any hesitation that "community development initiatives are likely to be… part of a… solution to America's health challenges." Sometimes I neglect to consider community development activities such as education, organizing, or economic development that can lead to indirect or downstream effects on health outcomes for individuals and communities.
The authors also alluded to community development's role in shaping a neighborhood's social environment and identity, which I think is an excellent point. By framing health related issues such as lead screening or pre-natal care in a larger context of a neighborhood, I think there's great potential to develop and promote these issues by engaging folks who are directly affected.
This article also leads me to think about urban planning and social justice… In the few places I've lived in, poor neighborhoods almost always have the worst food options, bad schools, mediocre jobs, and people with comparatively poorer health status (though I would venture to guess that this pertains to most other places). (When's the last time you saw a Whole Foods in the middle of a low-middle class neighborhood?) And I think coupling community development with health care would be a really good way to continue addressing these problems. In some ways, this reminds me of an even larger system with feedback loops and complex interactions between different entities.
The authors mentioned that we're still trying to find out what specific aspect(s) of community development will have the largest impact on health, and there are many variables to consider. This all sounds very exciting to me, and I hope to come across models that connect health to community development.
This is a very interesting article, I am glad to see that more attention is being paid to people’s socioeconomic status and how that impacts their health. Interventions that go into areas where people are less likely to be in good health due to social factors is in theory a good way to help improve their health.
I am curious however, how effective these interventions will be. The real problem is not the health of these populations but the lack of wealth of these populations. People are stuck in their environments, it is a cyclical problem – generation after generation in poverty. Those who escape poverty in many cases still retain the poor health habits that coincide with poverty.
Clearly, the problem of poverty can’t be solved with policy, and leaving people unhealthy and suffering is morally objectionable so interventions can be powerful. Community development is a brilliant way to imporve the health of populations who are being made worse off as a result of the community that they reside in.
While I was an undergrad, I worked in health and fitness and was a part of a few community programs that tried to get people eating better and moving – all in their own communities. The concepts were good, but retention was challenging, suggesting that there are other issues that go beyond just the ability to access programs.
I think this article is a good reminder that health is about more than just individual behaviors. While, yes, there is a role for personal responsibility, this article points out the many ways in which an person's physical and social environment affect their well-being.
The mention of the nurse-family partnership got me thinking about how connections between community development and health are made here. Rochester has long had the NFP and also seen success with it. There are some high-poverty city neighborhoods that have worked with Foodlink to set up small farmers markets. There's a program a pediatric resident is running at one of the city elementary schools that focuses on reading because literacy in the early years is a significant predictor of health in adulthood. The now-famous School 17 neighborhood lead initiative is a good example of how things like this can succeed on a much larger scale.
I don't know if things like this make Rochester unique and progressive. It makes me wonder how much coordination among initiatives there is or how much support these programs get from the county and its municipalities. What would it take for broader community buy-in for such collaboration?
It would be interesting to track over time the impact of these programs. The state health department has a map either by zip code or census tract that will give you prevalence data for heart disease, diabetes, asthma and other chronic illness. It would be interesting to overlay the areas served by community development programs and see whether health indicators change over time.
Again, I'm having trouble opening this article, but agree that it is one of the more interesting topics shared on the blog.
I'm glad that someone has finally noticed where the heart of change truly lies: within the community. This reminds me of the saying "it takes a village to raise a child." And I would add that it takes a village to help save a life. Knowing this, more financial resources should be invested in those communities that lack the ability to take care of themselves.
In regards to obesity, churches in Rochester have begun to implement farmers' markets in some of the disadvantaged neighborhoods to supply them with fresh foods they wouldn't otherwise have access to.
Foodlink, realizing that some kids only eat when at school, has started a backpack program to send low-income children home with foods to eat over the course of the weekend.
These are community interventions that highlight areas in need of community development. However, no policy has been passed to have supermarkets built in neighborhoods without and no policy has been passed to create weekend meal programs for children.
Since the state is slow to act, champions in the community have. And slowly that are building their communities up and thus improving the health of its residents.
This is a very interesting article, I am glad to see that more attention is being paid to people’s socio-economic status and how that impacts their health. Interventions that go into areas where people are less likely to be in good health due to social factors is in theory a good way to help improve their health.
I am curious however, how effective these interventions will be. The real problem is not the health of these populations but the lack of wealth of these populations. People are stuck in their environments, it is a cyclical problem – generation after generation in poverty. Those who escape poverty in many cases still retain the poor health habits that coincide with poverty.
Clearly, the problem of poverty can’t be solved with policy, and leaving people unhealthy and suffering is morally objectionable so interventions can be powerful. Community development is a brilliant way to imporve the health of populations who are being made worse off as a result of the community that they reside in.
While I was an undergrad, I worked in health and fitness and was a part of a few community programs that tried to get people eating better and moving – all in their own communities. The concepts were good, but retention was challenging, suggesting that there are other issues that go beyond just the ability to access programs.
Was having difficulties opening this last Weds... then completely forgot to try again until this weekend.
I think this is a great article that mentions all of the social determinants of health recognized in the WHO's 2010 report. It also allows us to recognize the multiple contributors of health.
Environment really impacts health, and policies for this have been implemented locally. Lead poisining is a big problem in homes throughout Rochester but recent legislation has decreased funding for this, this may lead to detrimental health effects for individuals exposed to lead.
The article mentions a big barrier for community changes, which is the scarce financial resources, and trying to guide policy with limited funds. I think that educating the community is vital, not only education on why it's important to speak their voice, but to understand these issues. Health assessments may be helpful for this, but I wonder who makes these assessments and how involved is the community in these changes? CBPR is a really valuable approach to address community wide prevention and intervention strategies.
This is one of the most interesting articles I've had the opportunity come across here, mostly because it reminds me a lot of my old job working at a community development corporation. I agree without any hesitation that "community development initiatives are likely to be… part of a… solution to America's health challenges." Sometimes I neglect to consider community development activities such as education, organizing, or economic development that can lead to indirect or downstream effects on health outcomes for individuals and communities.
ReplyDeleteThe authors also alluded to community development's role in shaping a neighborhood's social environment and identity, which I think is an excellent point. By framing health related issues such as lead screening or pre-natal care in a larger context of a neighborhood, I think there's great potential to develop and promote these issues by engaging folks who are directly affected.
This article also leads me to think about urban planning and social justice… In the few places I've lived in, poor neighborhoods almost always have the worst food options, bad schools, mediocre jobs, and people with comparatively poorer health status (though I would venture to guess that this pertains to most other places). (When's the last time you saw a Whole Foods in the middle of a low-middle class neighborhood?) And I think coupling community development with health care would be a really good way to continue addressing these problems. In some ways, this reminds me of an even larger system with feedback loops and complex interactions between different entities.
The authors mentioned that we're still trying to find out what specific aspect(s) of community development will have the largest impact on health, and there are many variables to consider. This all sounds very exciting to me, and I hope to come across models that connect health to community development.
This is a very interesting article, I am glad to see that more attention is being paid to people’s socioeconomic status and how that impacts their health. Interventions that go into areas where people are less likely to be in good health due to social factors is in theory a good way to help improve their health.
ReplyDeleteI am curious however, how effective these interventions will be. The real problem is not the health of these populations but the lack of wealth of these populations. People are stuck in their environments, it is a cyclical problem – generation after generation in poverty.
Those who escape poverty in many cases still retain the poor health habits that coincide with poverty.
Clearly, the problem of poverty can’t be solved with policy, and leaving people unhealthy and suffering is morally objectionable so interventions can be powerful. Community development is a brilliant way to imporve the health of populations who are being made worse off as a result of the community that they reside in.
While I was an undergrad, I worked in health and fitness and was a part of a few community programs that tried to get people eating better and moving – all in their own communities. The concepts were good, but retention was challenging, suggesting that there are other issues that go beyond just the ability to access programs.
I think this article is a good reminder that health is about more than just individual behaviors. While, yes, there is a role for personal responsibility, this article points out the many ways in which an person's physical and social environment affect their well-being.
ReplyDeleteThe mention of the nurse-family partnership got me thinking about how connections between community development and health are made here. Rochester has long had the NFP and also seen success with it. There are some high-poverty city neighborhoods that have worked with Foodlink to set up small farmers markets. There's a program a pediatric resident is running at one of the city elementary schools that focuses on reading because literacy in the early years is a significant predictor of health in adulthood. The now-famous School 17 neighborhood lead initiative is a good example of how things like this can succeed on a much larger scale.
I don't know if things like this make Rochester unique and progressive. It makes me wonder how much coordination among initiatives there is or how much support these programs get from the county and its municipalities. What would it take for broader community buy-in for such collaboration?
It would be interesting to track over time the impact of these programs. The state health department has a map either by zip code or census tract that will give you prevalence data for heart disease, diabetes, asthma and other chronic illness. It would be interesting to overlay the areas served by community development programs and see whether health indicators change over time.
Again, I'm having trouble opening this article, but agree that it is one of the more interesting topics shared on the blog.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad that someone has finally noticed where the heart of change truly lies: within the community. This reminds me of the saying "it takes a village to raise a child." And I would add that it takes a village to help save a life. Knowing this, more financial resources should be invested in those communities that lack the ability to take care of themselves.
In regards to obesity, churches in Rochester have begun to implement farmers' markets in some of the disadvantaged neighborhoods to supply them with fresh foods they wouldn't otherwise have access to.
Foodlink, realizing that some kids only eat when at school, has started a backpack program to send low-income children home with foods to eat over the course of the weekend.
These are community interventions that highlight areas in need of community development. However, no policy has been passed to have supermarkets built in neighborhoods without and no policy has been passed to create weekend meal programs for children.
Since the state is slow to act, champions in the community have. And slowly that are building their communities up and thus improving the health of its residents.
It is our social responsibility to do so.
This is a very interesting article, I am glad to see that more attention is being paid to people’s socio-economic status and how that impacts their health. Interventions that go into areas where people are less likely to be in good health due to social factors is in theory a good way to help improve their health.
ReplyDeleteI am curious however, how effective these interventions will be. The real problem is not the health of these populations but the lack of wealth of these populations. People are stuck in their environments, it is a cyclical problem – generation after generation in poverty.
Those who escape poverty in many cases still retain the poor health habits that coincide with poverty.
Clearly, the problem of poverty can’t be solved with policy, and leaving people unhealthy and suffering is morally objectionable so interventions can be powerful. Community development is a brilliant way to imporve the health of populations who are being made worse off as a result of the community that they reside in.
While I was an undergrad, I worked in health and fitness and was a part of a few community programs that tried to get people eating better and moving – all in their own communities. The concepts were good, but retention was challenging, suggesting that there are other issues that go beyond just the ability to access programs.
Was having difficulties opening this last Weds... then completely forgot to try again until this weekend.
ReplyDeleteI think this is a great article that mentions all of the social determinants of health recognized in the WHO's 2010 report. It also allows us to recognize the multiple contributors of health.
Environment really impacts health, and policies for this have been implemented locally. Lead poisining is a big problem in homes throughout Rochester but recent legislation has decreased funding for this, this may lead to detrimental health effects for individuals exposed to lead.
The article mentions a big barrier for community changes, which is the scarce financial resources, and trying to guide policy with limited funds. I think that educating the community is vital, not only education on why it's important to speak their voice, but to understand these issues. Health assessments may be helpful for this, but I wonder who makes these assessments and how involved is the community in these changes? CBPR is a really valuable approach to address community wide prevention and intervention strategies.