Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Commission to Build a Healthier America holds second public hearing focused on how physical and social conditions impact health
October 2, 2008, Philadelphia – The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Commission to Build a Healthier America heard testimony from more than a dozen experts about how community, homes and neighborhoods shape health at its second public hearing today. Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter kicked off the hearing, which provided the Commissioners an opportunity to hear testimony from leaders in the field about non-medical initiatives that are making positive differences in the health of local residents. The Commission also heard public testimony and received recommendations via its Web site about additional successful policies and programs that are improving health.
FEATURED DOWNLOADS:
View videos from the event
View life expectancy in Philadelphia by transit line, Philadelphia: Where You Live Matters
Download the event kit
Read panelist testimony
See the poster session
Download the new issue brief, Housing and Health
Download the new issue brief, Neighborhoods and Health
The 14-member national, independent, non-partisan Commission is investigating how factors outside the health care system such as education, housing, and community resources affect opportunities to lead healthy lives. Commission members include former senior Administration officials Mark McClellan and Alice M. Rivlin, who are its co-chairs.
As part of the hearing, the Commission released data showing dramatic differences in the life-span of Philadelphia area residents depending on where along the metropolitan transit lines they live. For example, people living in Montgomery County can expect to live 6.5 years longer than those living in Philadelphia County, home to 30th Street Station. View the map here. Written testimony and a webcast of the Philadelphia field hearing event will be available on this page soon.
Research shows social and economic conditions of neighborhoods are linked with a range of health conditions, including mortality, overall health status, chronic conditions, health behaviors, disability, mental health, birth outcomes, injuries and violence. Poor quality and inadequate housing also contribute to health problems such as infectious and chronic diseases, injuries and poor childhood development. In fact, where and how people live, learn, work and play has more impact on their health than medical care.
The Commission chose Philadelphia because the city has many diverse, active programs that are exploring non-medical solutions to improve health. Organizations that provided testimony include:
• The Food Trust is a non-profit organization working to ensure that everyone has access to affordable, nutritious food. The Food Trust works to educate the public about good nutrition and to increase the availability of fresh food in neighborhoods. The Food Trust works with school districts, supermarket operators, corner store owners, and farmers to make fresh food and nutrition education available to everyone.
• Project H.O.M.E. is a non-profit organization in Philadelphia designed to help break the cycle of homelessness and poverty for adults, children and families through a continuum of care composed of street outreach and supportive housing, and comprehensive services including health care, education, and employment. Project H.O.M.E. also addresses the root causes of homelessness and poverty through neighborhood revitalization programs in North Central Philadelphia, which include affordable housing development, homeownership initiatives, employment training and opportunities, adult and youth education, and community-based health care.
• Alliance for a Healthier Generation is a partnership between the American Heart Association and the William J. Clinton Foundation to fight one of our nation’s leading health threats – childhood obesity. The Alliance is working nationally to create awareness and real solutions to the childhood obesity epidemic. The Alliance seeks to positively affect the places that can make a difference to a child’s health: homes, schools, doctor’s offices, and the community.
Navigate to other sections of this site to find the list of Commissioners, additional information about the Commission’s work and a report, Obstacles to Health, which describes the current health profile of Americans and looks specifically at how education, income, race and ethnicity play a role in Americans’ health.
The Commission held its first field hearing in Raleigh, N.C., in June to learn more about early childhood development because a large body of research has consistently shown that brain, cognitive and behavioral development early in life are strongly linked to health outcomes, including cardiovascular disease and stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, smoking, drug use and depression. The next hearing, focused on health and the workplace, will be held in Denver in December. The Commission expects to issue recommendations in 2009 on ways to improve health for all Americans.