Building community ties to strengthen public health
For the first time since 1993, U.S. life expectancy has declined, while other countries are still improving. It’s up to all of us to start moving in the right direction.
[Bar chart of life expectancy increasing each year – and a person walking along the chart stumbles as the most recent year reduces for the first time]
Our health is affected by more than just health care. As we move toward prevention, we can achieve health for all.
[Picture of a small person and a larger person with a cane walking down a windy road toward the horizon. Along the way they pass icons labeled education, economic mobility, food & nutrition, healthy communities, choices & behaviors, environment and climate, social justice and health care for all.]
Prevention is everyone’s job. It takes the entire community
to address the social, environmental and behavioral factors
that impact our health. Here’s how we can work together.
[Picture of a puzzle piece with a graduation cap]
Education system
-Promote school-based health centers
-Support free and reduced-price meal programs
[Picture of a puzzle piece with a person walking and a person riding a bike]
Community planning
-Create safe, walkable, rollable, drivable, accessible communities
-Promote safe, affordable mixed-use housing with access to transportation and services
[Picture of a puzzle piece with Islamic, Christian and Jewish symbols]
Faith-based organizations
-Educate and offer opportunities for healthy choices and behaviors within congregations
-Provide disaster relief, cooling stations and alternative emergency shelter services
[Picture of a puzzle piece with commercial buildings]
Business community
-Promote a living wage
-Support universal paid family leave and sick days
[Picture of a puzzle piece with the scales of justice]
Justice system
-Encourage mental health sensitivity and support community policing strategies
-Offer violence prevention efforts and commonsense gun safety regulations
It’s time to get involved.
[Picture of a crowd of people standing on the words Generation Public Health]
There are so many new potential partners with a stake in the fight to create the healthiest nation.
Visit http://www.apha.org/HealthiestNation to join the movement.
[APHA logo]