Health Care

Health Care

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Institution:

Health Care

Requirements for a Healthy Neighborhood

Health care experts have discovered that the neighborhood in which a person lives can have a negative effect on the individual’s wellbeing. Different issues such as the availability of certain amenities, quality of educational institutions, the cooperation between authorities and the community and the socio-economic status of a neighborhood can have a negative impact on the health of the people living in that area. Accordingly, different factors are required within a neighborhood to make it a healthy place to live in. The right combination of these factors could determine the wellbeing of the region’s occupants as well as their susceptibility to a wide range of serious health concerns such as asthma, heart disease, various forms of cancer and diabetes (Kleffman & Bohan, 2010).

One of the most important requirements for a healthy neighborhood is the availability of fresh foods. In Unnatural Causes: Is Inequality Making us Sick?, the makers of the documentary reveal that neighborhoods lacking supermarkets, grocery stores, restaurants and similar establishments normally pose a higher risk for various health conditions because the residents lack access to fresh and healthy food. This shows that it is imperative for a neighborhood to have a variety of food sources so that residents are able to live healthy lives (Adelman et al., 2008). For such a situation to be prevented, the community needs to cooperate with the policy makers and various organizations to promote business owners who operate eateries and stores. Another important requirement for a healthy neighborhood is peace and calm. People living in unsettled regions are normally subjected to a lot of stress by their environments (Bohan & Kleffman, 2010). The worry and concern that accompanies stress exhausts people and makes their bodies wear out quickly this contributes to their poor health (Adelman et al., 2008).

The establishment of helpful policies can also make a neighborhood healthy. Sean Greene (2013) points out the example of Richmond, a community that attempted to impose taxes on sugary beverages. The failure of the proposition exposed a need to educate community members on the harm caused by some of the substances that people consume daily. Additionally, the fact that large companies involved in the beverage industry spent millions of dollars to oppose the proposition showed that there is a need for business organizations to involve themselves in the process of making different neighborhoods healthier. [1]

Personal Reflection

I grew up in Barnet a neighborhood in North London that met all of the criteria needed for a region to be healthy. Comparing Barnet to the description of a healthy neighborhood shows that the region has moist of the elements needed to make it a healthy place to live in. Firstly, Barnet has several grocery stores and shops that sell fresh food and produce. This provides a healthy alternative to the various “fish and chips” eateries that are spread out through the neighborhood and the rest of London. Barnet is also healthy because the different bodies and parties in the neighborhood cooperate to keep the area clean and peaceful to ensure that people live their lives stress-free.

This assignment helped me learn several interesting things concerning the correlation between healthy living and location. I was surprised to discover that a person’s location can make them ill or unwell to the extent of significantly changing their life or even shortening it. By comparing different standards, I also came to realize that the grocery stores and shops that people take for granted play key roles in keeping us healthy and ensuring our wellbeing.

References

Adelman, L., Baynard, J., Chisolm, R., Fortier, J. M., Garcia, R. P., Herbes-Sommers, C., Krause, D., … Pacific Islanders in Communications. (2008). Unnatural causes: Is inequality making us sick?. San Francisco, Calif.: California Newsreel.

Bohan, S.& Kleffman, S. (2010, January 26). Day I: Three East Bay ZIP codes, life-and –death disparities. Contra Costa Times. Retrieved from http://www.contracostatimes.com/top-stories/ci_13913952.

Greene, S. (2013). As California considers soda tax, Richmond refocuses debate on health. Retrieved from http://richmondconfidential.org/2013/03/06/as-california-considers-soda-tax-richmond-refocuses-debate-on-health/.

Kleffman, S. & Bohan, S. (2010, January 26). Day II: Health problems persist when options are limited. Contra Costa Times. Retrieved from http://www.contracostatimes.com/top-stories/life-expectancy/ci_13919582.

[1] The course concepts applied in this section include influencing policy and legislation, changing organizational practices, fostering coalitions and networks,  promoting community education and strengthening individual knowledge and skills.