National Public Health Week is April 4-10. This is a time to recognize the contributions of public health and highlight issues that are important to improving our nation's health. The American Public Health Association hopes to create a growing movement to create the healthiest nation in one generation. This year’s theme is “Public Health is Where You Are” exploring how the details of our surroundings impact the health of our communities. Here are just a few things to think about to start working toward making our communities healthier, stronger and safer!
Public Health Workforce
The strain of the COVID-19 pandemic and its politicization weakened public health, which was already facing a worker deficit. Public health workers have reported symptoms of mental distress due to burnout, exhaustion and job-related harassment. Funding a robust public health workforce and providing support for health workers will improve mental health outcomes and enable health workers to better help their communities.
The pandemic has further highlighted the need for a diverse public health workforce to serve diverse communities. Building a more diverse health workforce would help identify and address structural biases within the health care system to improve health outcomes in underserved communities. Disease spreads across human divisions of race, ethnicity, color, and socioeconomic status. Positive health outcomes for the community mean all community members must have access to quality health care.
Community
Community encompasses every aspect of our lives — it’s where we live, work, learn, and play. The social isolation experienced over the last two years of the pandemic has contributed to increased rates of depression, impaired immunity and premature mortality. People with greater feelings of support and inclusion within their networks may live longer, respond better to stress and have stronger immune systems than those who are isolated from their communities.
This is one example of something called ‘social determinants of health.’ Research indicates a connection between community factors like neighborhood, quality of education, transportation availability, and access to health insurance and health outcomes. For example, if someone does not have reliable access to transportation, they are more likely to engage in harmful health behaviors like skipping medication or postponing care, which is both bad for the individual and can put additional strain on the health care system when they do seek care. Research shows that neighborhood programs like community gardens not only improve access to nutritious foods, but they also cultivate social support and emotional well-being.
Health as a Human Right
World Health Day is April 7.
At least half of the world’s population can’t access basic health services such as seeing a doctor, getting vaccinated or even receiving emergency care. Even in wealthier regions, households are spending at least 10% of their budgets on health-related expenses. For some households, high health care costs are a major factor contributing to poverty. These issues are made even worse during a health crisis such as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Lack of access to health information and resources makes disease prevention more difficult. We must find ways to engage communities in speaking out against discrimination and taking action to tackle inequalities in health care. When we are active in accessing our own care, we can help our health systems become more efficient, which can lead to better health outcomes for everyone.
Racial Justice in Health
Racism directly affects the physical and mental health of people of color. Racism shapes where and how people live and what resources and opportunities they have. While people of color experience more direct negative consequences on their health and wellness due to racism, racism harms us all. A 2020 estimate found that closing racial gaps in income, wealth and education could add $5 trillion to the U.S. economy over the next five years. That’s a significant increase in social health, which would benefit everyone.
Communities of color must be directly engaged in meaningful civic strategies to achieve more equitable distribution of power and resources, which, combined with health equity goals, can improve people's health and well-being.
Accessibility
In the United States, 61.4 million adults live with a disability. Unfortunately, almost 40% of that population has been unable to access primary and preventive care due to cost. We can work together to improve the health of people living with disabilities by reducing disparities in health insurance, increasing physical accessibility to care, increasing the availability of care, and building more inclusive public health programs. The disabled population is a group that any of us could join at any time due to disease, natural disasters, accidents, aging, and more. Prioritizing disabled care is care for all of us.
Climate Change
Climate change poses one of the most significant public health threats today by creating a series of interconnected impacts on human health. Higher temperatures lead to more deaths due to heatstroke and heart attack. Additionally, warmer overall temperatures and precipitation changes expand the geographic range of disease-carrying insects, such as Zika virus. Increased greenhouse gas emissions make air quality worse, and drought causes more frequent and intense wildfires, further reducing air quality. Flooding from intense storms leads to mold growth, food scarcity and water contamination.
Communities with greater cohesion have better health outcomes after climate-related disasters, therefore addressing climate change alongside other inequities, like racial injustice, helps improve the health of communities. If we can keep global warming increases below 2 degrees Celsius, we can dramatically improve the health of children born today, for their entire lives. That’s why we must address this global problem by investing in local solutions.
Mental Wellness
In the United States, mental illness is one of the most common health conditions. Each year, one in five Americans will experience mental illness. Half of mental illnesses start by age 14, and almost all mental illness begins by age 24. These conditions affect our young people, and providing early and adequate care can help ensure their futures.
The pandemic has highlighted the importance of mental health care due to the mental and physical burden brought on by the loss of a loved one, isolation due to physical distancing mandates, exposure to the virus and loss of income. Mental health care can come in a variety of forms, some of which are self-directed — like sticking to a movement routine or practicing gratitude— and some which are under the supervision of a doctor or professional— like talk therapy, joining a support group or 12-step program, and considering medication. Prevention, early detection and treatment of mental health conditions can lead to improved physical and community health. Public health should incorporate mental and emotional health into prevention strategies and activities. This can protect people from other issues that have lasting physical and mental health impacts, such as community and interpersonal violence, tobacco use and homelessness.