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What is health?
What is health?
The traditional definition of health refers to a "state of being free of physical or mental illness or injury." This definition is typically used to define the health of an individual. Throughout the years however, there has been a realization that a person's surroundings, where they live, work and play, also affects their health. The state of our community, our schools, our neighborhoods and our workplaces for example, all play a role in the overall health of the community and its residents.
How does the health of a community influence the health of an individual?
How does the health of a community influence the health of an individual?
Much like a physician measures vital signs of a patient, the health of a community can be assessed by exploring the vital conditions or the social determinants of health of that community. These community conditions such as the availability and affordability of safe housing, the education and transportation systems, community safety, and more shape the conditions of daily life. These forces and systems also include economic policies and systems, development agendas, social norms, social politics and political systems.
What makes a community healthy?
What makes a community healthy?
There are key factors that drive health in communities. These may include:
• Levels of community safety and violence
• High school graduation rates
• Rate of unemployment
• Percentage of children and/or seniors living in poverty
• Levels of income
• Access to quality and affordable health care
• Access to safe and affordable housing
• Safe drinking water and other basic needs
Community health interventions that play a role in an individual's ability to lead a long and healthy life, include efforts that allow:
Community health interventions that play a role in an individual's ability to lead a long and healthy life, include efforts that allow:
• Communities to provide its residents opportunities to find good jobs
• For residents to be able to prepare their children for a successful future by providing good schools for all
• Opportunities for families to establish financial security
• All residents to have access to affordable work
• Community residents to be able to work, live and play in safe communities
• Residents to promote positive relationships among family, friends and neighbors
Communities that prioritize health through policies and programs can alter their residents' health for better:
Communities that prioritize health through policies and programs can alter their residents' health for better:
The approach used to inform initiatives or interventions to improve health is based on a social determinants of health model developed by the County Health Rankings and Roadmaps and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Below is the framework from County Health Rankings depicting that clinical care accounts for only 20% of the factors that determine length and quality of life; and social and economic factors play a crucial role in the health of an individual. Identifying these social determinants of health along with other factors that affect health is an important step in improving the health of the community and its residents.
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