Managing America’s Crises Means Addressing the Political Determinants of Health
Too often we stop at these social drivers of inequities, however, and miss the link between social determinants of health and their political roots. Every social determinant of health is preceded by a political action, inaction, or impetus. Political determinants of health create the social drivers—including poor environmental conditions, inadequate transportation, unsafe neighborhoods, and lack of healthy food options—that affect all other dynamics of health.
Health Equity … It’s a Journey, Not a Destination
COVID-19 has struck with a vengeance, hitting African Americans, older adults, and those with chronic health conditions the hardest. Simultaneously, our nation is experiencing a moment of reckoning, resulting from a long history of racism that has shaped the foundation of this country and thus permeates every system and institution.
Muslim Chaplaincy: Cultural and Faith Based Leadership for Better Health
For years, hospitals have offered interfaith chaplains to provide faith support for Muslim families. But over 95 percent of these chaplains come from Christian backgrounds. In Minnesota, which has a Muslim population of about 150,000, it has become clear that it could be enormously beneficial to integrate appropriate faith leaders into systems of care in order to overcome significant cultural gaps between community and health care providers and provide meaningful support to families facing critical life questions.
Health Equity and the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC): COVID-19 Spotlights the Need for Cross-Sector Collaborations
Three years ago, the EITC Funders Network started more deeply exploring the growing body of research on the intersections between the Earned Income Tax Credit and health outcomes. This research became a foundation for fostering cross-sector discussions and collaborations to promote both economic opportunity and health equity.
Rethink, Reorient, Reimagine Health and Housing
The pandemic has blatantly exposed the longstanding inequities in America due to institutional and systemic racism that people of color have experienced for far too long. It has brought to
light the need to urgently rethink and reorient our role in reimagi
ng the affordable housing
sector — one that brings health in reach for all.
Rural Food Insecurity: COVID-19 and Beyond
According to Feeding America, one in ten people and one in six children face hunger in our state (Feeding America 2020). As a foundation focused on the social and economic barriers to health, food insecurity has always been important to us
Educating Health Care Teams by the Zip Code
In 2016, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and John A. Hartford Foundation envisioned a national program to support advanced practice nurse faculty members to create sustained and vibrant academic-community partnerships with the goal of improving population health in their own communities and zip codes.
Investing in Rural Communities to Achieve Health Equity
Some years ago, in reference to Georgia’s economy, the claim was made of the existence of two Georgias: one, the vibrant metropolitan areas of the state; the other, rural Georgia – described as its poor economic cousin. Today, this Two Georgias distinction applies to the growing disparities in health and health care between the metropolitan areas and rural communities, home to nearly 2 million Georgians.
Lies, Bots, and Coronavirus: Misinformation’s Deadly Impact on Health
We know social media has been awash in lies, rumors, and distortions about COVID-19 and vaccines, among many other subjects. Research has shown that bots, autonomous programs that can spread spam or a virus over a network like the internet, that operate within social media are accelerating the spread of these lies at light speed.
Broadening the Role of Philanthropy in Rethinking Aging
When someone turns 65, they have roughly 8,000 days ahead of them, almost a third of their life. Why are these 8,000 days so invisible?