Oklahoma Community Chats Initiated to Decrease Health Disparities. April 14, 2014

http://www.newson6.com/story/25247011/community-chats-held-to-improve-minority-health-in-oklahoma

Oklahoma-Resolution to promote Health Equity. http://www.opha.net/Resources/Documents/042211RevOHEC%20Health%20Equity%20RESOLUTION%20to%20OPHA~00.pdf

Oklahoma Governor’s Taskforce on the Elimination of Health Disparities-Final Report January 2010.  http://www.ok.gov/health2/documents/GovTaskForceRpt1-14-10.pdf

2015

Fair Housing and Health Equity Seminar LINK >>

Unnatural Causes

The four-part series reveals a slow killer in plain view: the social circumstances in which we are born, live and work that can affect

our risk for disease as surely as germs and viruses. The U.S. already spends twice per person on health care than any other industrialized nation.  Yet our life expectancy ranks 30th — Costa Ricans live longer. Infant mortality? We’re tied with Hungary, Poland and Slovakia for next to last among industrialized nations. Illnesses cost American business more than a trillion dollars a year in lost productivity.

Further, research has revealed a gradient to health. At each step down the socioeconomic ladder — from the rich to the middle class to the poor — people tend to be sicker and die sooner. It’s no surprise that poor Americans die eight years before the rich on average, but middle-class Americans die almost three years sooner than the rich.

The program looks at what’s making us sick in the first place, investigating startling new findings that suggest there is much more to poor health than bad habits, inadequate health care or unlucky genes. The series circles in on a slow killer in plain view: the social circumstances in which we are born, live and work that can affect our risk for disease as surely as germs and viruses.

Oklahoma joins national partners, the Health Policy Institute of the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, the National Association of County and City Health Officials, the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors, the American Public Health Association in developing initiatives and plans to utilize "Unnatural Causes" and accompanying tools to introduce equity and social justice into discussion of health and conversely, inject health consequences into debates over social and economic policies.

Take action by hosting a community discussion utilizing the PBS Series Unnatural Causes: Is Inequality Making Us Sick?

Call (405) 271-9444,ext. 56410 for more information. OHEC will assist you! This public engagement campaign is linked to a national campaign to achieve health equity.  A segment screening will be followed by discussion.

Unnatural Causes Video Trailer

Two faith and community-based health summits, “TOGETHER for HEALTH” in Oklahoma City (Dec. 1, 2014) and in Tulsa (Dec. 4, 2014).

Additional sites at local Career Technology Centers were also linked by videoconference to our origination site in Oklahoma City.

Unnatural Causes, “Place Matters” was featured. Community discussion followed. Questions asked included the following: 
As Oklahomans, what are our health equity (health and wellness) expectations?

What one thing can Oklahomans do or tell others to do to address health equity (health and wellness) issues in their communities?

View Presentation

OHEC Health Equity Position Statement - LINK >>

Health Equity and Racial/Ethnic Disparities Resources

This report focuses on disparities in selected specific health determinants and outcomes by sex, race/ethnicity, education, income, disability status, and geography.

CDC Health Disparities and Inequalities Report — United States, 2011

The Organizational Self-Assessment for Addressing Health Inequities Toolkit provides public health leaders with tools and guidelines that help identify the skills, organizational practices and infrastructure needed to address health equity and provide insights into steps local health departments can take to ensure their organization can have an impact on this growing problem. - LINK>>

This workbook is for community-based organizations, public health practitioners, and community health partners interested in developing initiatives to increase health equity by addressing the social determinants of health. Promoting Health Equity: A Resource to Help Communities Address Social Determinants of Health (2008)

REACH U.S. is a national program that supports community coalitions that plan, implement, and evaluate strategies to eliminate health disparities among the following groups: African Americans, American Indians, Hispanics/Latinos, Asian Americans, Alaska Natives, and Pacific Islanders. The Web site provides resources and publications on racial and ethnic health disparities. Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health — Resource Library

This Web page from the Office of Minority Health & Health Disparities provides fact sheets on six health-related areas (Infant Mortality, Cancer Screening and Management, Cardiovascular Disease, Diabetes, HIV Infection/AIDS, and Immunizations) in which racial and ethnic minority groups experience serious disparities in health access and outcomes. Eliminating Racial & Ethnic Health Disparities

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health (OMH) has developed the National Partnership for Action to mobilize and connect individuals and organizations across the country to create a nation free of health disparities, with quality health outcomes for all people. National Partnership for Action to End Health Disparities

The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) offers ideas, insight, and examples for local health departments to strengthen their capacity for influencing the root causes of health inequities through a social justice perspective. Tackling Health Inequities Through Public Health Practice: A Handbook for Action (2006)

This publication is funded by the MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Socioeconomic Status and Health, and examines how societies are structured like ladders, as well as the importance of economic and social policy to foster better health among individuals and communities. Reaching for a Healthier Life: Facts on Socioeconomic Status and Health in the United States (2007)

The Commission on Social Determinants of Health together with the World Health Organization published this report to tackle the social determinants of health with the aim of achieving health equity. Closing the Gap in a Generation: Health Equity Through Action on the Social Determinants of Health (2008)

NCCDPHP provides additional resources on health equity and racial/ethnic disparities. CDC's National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP)

A New Way to Talk About The Social Determinants of Health: The Robert Wood Foundation provides methodology that has been researched about how to talk about the social determinates of health, what messages move people to action, how to use statistical data and various other tips and suggestions on reaching audiences. - LINK>>

Health in All Policies: A Guide for State and Local Governments was created by the American Public Health Association, Public Health Institute and the California Department of Public Health, in response to growing interest in using collaborative approaches to improve population health by embedding health considerations into decision-making processes across a broad array of sectors. The Guide draws heavily on the experiences of the California Health in All Policies Task Force and incorporates information from the published and gray literature and interviews with people across the country. - LINK >>

The National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD) Health Equity Council – LINK >>

“Collecting the Data: First Steps in Achieving Health Equity,” is a webinar from the State University of New York Albany School of Public Health that focuses on the importance of data in health equity. To improve the quality and equity of healthcare, more reliable measures are needed to assess the scope and types of disparities that exist. (Note to users: Click on world globe to start webinar.) – LINK >>

Promoting Action on Equity Issues: A KNOWLEDGE-TO-ACTION HANDBOOK – LINK >>

The handbook is based on results of a multi-phase Knowledge to Action research project (funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research—CIHR). The objective of this research was to determine what strategies were effective in moving evidence of concern to culturally diverse groups into healthcare planning and decision-making. Authors: Sarah Bowen, PhD., School of Public Health, University of Alberta; Ingrid Botting, PhD.,University of Manitoba; Jeannine Roy, Winnipeg Regional Health Authority.

Equity, Social Determinants and Public Health Programs – LINK >>

Commission on Social Determinants of Health. Learning and tools. – LINK >>

Commission on Social Determinants of Health – Final Report – LINK >>

Report of the National Expert Panel on Social Determinants of Health Equity – LINK >>

National Partnership for Action to End Health Disparities Toolkit for Community Action – LINK >>

OHEC Food Security Position Statement - LINK >>

We’re pleased to announce the Healthy Food Access Portal’s new look!  Last year we launched the Healthy Food Access Portal to be a resource to the movement to improve access to affordable, healthy foods in underserved communities. Since its launch, tens of thousands of people across the country have benefited from the wealth of resources, tools, and analysis featured on the website.  The movement to create a more equitable food system in the United States is taking off and we are thrilled the portal has been a valuable resource to so many of you.

Oklahoma Senior Farmer's Market Nutrition Program.  The Oklahoma Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP) offers low-income older citizens an opportunity to purchase fresh, locally-grown fruits, vegetables and herbs from certified farmers. http://www.okdhs.org/programsandservices/snap/docs/sfmnp_what.htm

The State of Obesity.  The goal of the publication is to raise awareness about the seriousness of the obesity epidemic and present ideas on how to overcome it. http://stateofobesity.org/files/stateofobesity2014.pdf

Action Guidelines: Changing Food Deserts to Food Oases - LINK >>

Closer to Home: Healthier Food Farms and Families in Oklahoma, 2006. Kerr Center for Sustainable Agriculture – LINK >>

Household Food Security in the United States, 2008 / ERR-83. Economic Research Service, USDA. – LINK >>

Food Stamp Usage Across the Country, 2009.  New York Times interactive map – LINK >>

America’s Health Rankings, Oklahoma, 2011.  United Health Foundation – LINK >>

Concept of a Nutritious Food: Toward a Nutrient Density Score, 2005. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 82:721-32. – LINK >>

Food Availability and Food Deserts in the Non-Metropolitan South, 2006. Blanchard, T.C., and Lyson, T.A., – LINK >>

Rebalancing Act: Updating the U.S. Food and Farm Policies – LINK >>

Access to Healthy Food and Why It Matters: A Review of the Research. - LINK >>

How three philanthropic partners worked together as funders, advocates, and network developers to promote food security, health and equity and to foster environmental change in communities across the country. Convergence Partnership, How a Group of Philanthropists Broke the Mold and Unlocked the Power of Collaboration. Bell, J. and Cohen, L. (2013), Convergence Partnership. Nat Civic Rev, 102: 40–42. doi: 10.1002/ncr.21152.  http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ncr.21152/full

We listened to your feedback and responded to your need for more accessible content, improved visuals, and multimedia that helps make the case to improve healthy food access.  On the newly redesigned website you can:

• Use a new searchable map to find policy efforts and resources in your state
• Find available funding opportunities in our updated database
• Learn from your peers via new profiles, webinars, and stories
• Check out new videos of healthy food leaders from around the country

We hope you enjoy the new look and feel of HealthyFoodAccess.org. Follow us on Twitter @accessfood to share your thoughts.  And register for an upcoming webinar, to learn about one of our growing areas of work: food hubs.

Regards, Judith Bell, President, Policy Link; Don Hinkle-Brown, CEO. The Reinvestment Fund and Yael Lehman, Executive Director, The Food Trust.

The Road Ahead: Implementing Complete Street Policies. This case study, prepared by the Education & Outreach group at AARP, shares the story of several successful implementations of Complete Streets policies.  The advocates and approaches all differed, yet each group succeeded. To that end, this case study also shares the lessons learned along the way. - LINK>>

OHEC Public Transportation and Health Position Statement - LINK >>

MyRIDE Provides Links to Oklahoma Transit Systems. “MyRide” is a website that lists links to transit systems by counties in Oklahoma. It is intended to be a helpful resource for elderly, people with disabilities, low-income individuals, and case managers and counselors who arrange transportation for these populations. This site is not intended to be used to schedule a ride. Users can link directly to the websites of transit systems where they can contact those systems to schedule their own rides. - LINK >>

Accessible Transit Services for All, that provides a fresh look at paratransit  and how agencies can improve service effectiveness and cost efficiency, a timely release with this week’s 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The report presents successful strategies for providing ADA-compliant paratransit. Featuring an assessment of ADA paratransit service design models, as well as an in-depth analysis of procurement and contracting practices, the report also identifies operational practices that can enhance service quality and cost efficiency, and successful examples of alternative, inclusive service designs that can provide improved transportation for all riders. The report is funded by the FTA through a cooperative agreement with the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund and FTA’s Office of Research, Demonstration, and Innovation.

Healthy Homes Maintenance Check list - LINK >>

CDC Healthy Home Checklist - LINK >>

Environmental Working Group Healthy Homes Tips - LINK >>

US Department of Housing and Urban Healthy Homes Program info - LINK >>

Neighborhood Segregation as a Public Health Concern – LINK >>

Healthy Homes in Oklahoma - LINK >>

Health and Housing Position Statement - LINK >>

2012 National Health Care for the Homeless Policy Statement – LINK >>

A Consumer’s Guide to Energy-Efficient and Healthy Homes. U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development.  - LINK >>

How Housing Matters Research Briefs. MacArthur Foundation, April 24, 2014. - LINK >>

Housing Hazards and Facts: Oklahoma’s Healthy Homes for Healthy Families – LINK >>

CDC Healthy Homes Initiative – LINK >>

"Out of Reach 2013": Every year, the National Low Income Housing Coalition publishes its "Out of Reach" report, which estimates the average family income needed to afford the average two bedroom rental cost in the United States. The numbers provide a clear reminder of the extent of unmet housing needs. This year, PRRAC Research Fellow Silva Mathema did a brief reanalysis of the NLIHC "Out of Reach" report by race and ethnicity. We knew there would be a substantial disparity, but we didn't anticipate it would be as large as we found. Read our Policy Brief here. Plus a blog post about the report HERE.

HUD's Moving to Work (MTW) program: HUD's MTW program, begun during the Clinton Administration, gives 39 selected Public Housing Agencies flexibility to deviate from HUD regulations and budgeting requirements. One of the three statutory goals of the program was to "increase housing choices for low income families. "We decided to undertake an initial program review to see if MTW PHAs are achieving this goal. We found that a few agencies were trying out small scale housing mobility efforts, but overall there is a lack of clarity about the meaning of the statutory goal, and no particular performance goals to measure progress. In the 2012 MTW NOFA, HUD took an initial step toward defining the "housing choices" goal in the context of optional choice-mobility programming. However, our report concludes that this definition should be more clearly stated to reflect fair housing goals, extended to all program participants, and accompanied by detailed guidance addressing best practices and outcome metrics. Find our report HERE.

Housing and Health Inequalities: Review and prospects for research

Dunn, James R

Housing Studies; May 2000; 15, 3; ProQuest, pg. 341

Zoning, Equity, and Public Health

Juliana Maantay, PhD, MUP

July 2001, Vol. 91, No. 7 American Journal of Public Health, p. 1033

Housing and Health: Time Again for Public Health Action

James Krieger, MD, MPH, and Donna L. Higgins, Ph758

American Journal of Public Health | May 2002, Vol 92, No. 5

Overcoming Obstacles to Health: A Report from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to the Commission to Build a Healthier America

This RWJF report to the Commission provides a profile of the current state of health in America, focusing specifically on the role that social factors like income, education, and race and ethnicity play in Americans' health and the areas that hold promise for improving the opportunities for all Americans to live healthier and more productive lives. See the technical report HERE.

Highlights and Key Figures - LINK >>

Full Report - LINK >>

A State-by-State Look at Public Health Funding and Key Health Facts 2014. Developed by Trust for America’s Health, which is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to saving lives by protecting the health of every community and working to make disease prevention a national priority. Project sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. http://www.healthyamericans.org/assets/files/TFAH2014-InvestInAmericaRpt08.pdf

Promoting Health Equity – A Resource to Help Communities Address Social Determinants of Health. – LINK >>

Commission on Social Determinants of Health – Final Report

Closing the gap in a generation: Health equity through action on the social determinants of health

Social justice is a matter of life and death. It affects the way people live, their consequent chance of illness,

and their risk of premature death. We watch in wonder as life expectancy and good health continue to

increase in parts of the world and in alarm as they fail to improve in others. – LINK >>

Tackling Health Inequities through Public Health Practice, 2nd Ed.

A Project of the National Association of County & City Health Officials,

Edited by Richard Hofrichter and Rajiv Bhatia

Data Set Directory of Social Determinants of Health at the Local Level

The contents of this directory are adapted from the following article: Hillemeier M.M., J. Lynch, S. Harper, and M. Casper. 2003. "Measuring contextual characteristics for community health." Health Services Research 38(6 part 2):1645–717. – LINK >>

Frequently Asked Questions about Social Determinants of Health – LINK >>

Statewide Locations for the Living Longer Living Stronger Program and other Self-Management Programs - LINK >>