SO MUCH OF WHAT WE ARE DE ALING WITH IN OUR SOCIE T Y CAN BE ADDRESSED
BY IMPROVING COMMUNIT Y HE ALTH
BE SIDE S SOCIOEC ONOMIC FACTORS, the physical envi-
ronment, health behaviors, and access to clinical care — when
rolled together — produce good or bad health outcomes, as noted
by the CDC. Clearly, we know many diseases cannot be cured,
but if we prevent the illness to begin with, results include a
better outcome for the patient, and reductions in the use and
cost of treatment.
I spend a great deal of time focused on the social determinants
of health outcomes, and specifically advocating for Lyme disease
research. The emergence of new viruses, escalating drug abuse,
and gun violence have also contributed to growing concerns
about prevention and treatment in our communities. The list
could go on and on, but strategies to improve health outcomes in
one area often spill over to positive impacts in other areas. The
best example is exercise and weight reduction, and the impact
that has on many chronic illnesses.
COMMUNITY HEALTH IS EVERYONE'S RESPONSIBILITY
It's not only the health department's job — whether local or
national — to set the stage for better community health. If organi-
zations and employers promoted more educational initiatives for
tobacco cessation, physical activity, nutrition counseling, CPR,
and screenings for cholesterol, blood pressure and diabetes, we
would inevitably improve community health.
The CDC reports that 19% of U.S. employers currently offer
tobacco cessation programs and 17% offer programs to address
obesity and weight management. Surely, there's room for growth,
and plenty of resources are readily available.
Franklin Fry, Executive Director of the American Heart
Association in Syracuse, suggests clinicians should remember
and utilize free programs and resources offered by organizations
such as the American Heart Association. In Central New York,
the AHA's priorities include addressing hypertension through
programming around self-monitoring of blood pressure, improv-
ing nutritional security for SNAP users by promoting additional
benefits for fruits and vegetables, and ensuring families are
educated on cardiac emergency response through the teaching
of Hands-Only CPR.
As our health organizations face COVID-19 and workforce
shortages, the ability to offer community based screenings and
health promotions has eroded. What can our practices, churches
and social organizations to do help? Get behind programs you
can sponsor, those that put the tools in the hands of patients to
improve their health and their families' health.
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Resources
1. cancer.org/about-us/what-we-do/health-equity.html (American
Cancer Society)
2. cdc.gov/chinav/database/index.html (CDC: Community Health
Improvement Navigator)
3. cnylymealliance.org/ (Lyme Alliance)
4. cpr.heart.org/en/training-programs/community-programs
(American Heart Association, CPR)
5. diabetesjournals.org/care/article/45/Supplement_1/
S8/138915/1-Improving-Care-and-Promoting-Health-in
(American Diabetes Association)
6. heart.org/syracuse (American Heart Association, Syracuse)
7. rwjf.org/en/our-focus-areas/focus-areas/healthy-communities.
html (RWJ, Healthy Communities)
Kathryn Ruscitto, Advisor, can be reached at linkedin.com/in/
kathrynruscitto or at krusct@gmail.com.
M D N E W S . C O M /// M D N E W S C E N T R A L N E W Y O R K
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Improving
Community
Health
BY K ATHRYN RUSCITTO
