Creating A Policy Environment To Address Social Determinants Of Health
The National Alliance To Impact The Social Determinants of Health (NASDOH) in working to build systematically and pragmatically a common understanding of the importance of addressing social needs as part of an overall approach to health improvement has released a new white paper to create a supportive policy environment to address social determinants of health. The document introduces NASDOH’s plans to bring clarity to the current understanding of the issues, challenges, and opportunities for the health care system to address social determinants in concert with communities and the public and private sector. NASDOH encourages public and private sector leaders to support progress by promoting collaboration and innovation around social determinants of health interventions in five areas of focus: (1) Promoting a supportive policy environment at all levels of government and in the private sector, (2) Framing the issue in a way that promotes action, (3) Elevating shared learnings across communities, (4) Leveraging shared approaches to measurement and evaluation, and (5) Encouraging data and technology innovation. The paper can be obtained here.
Population Health: The Translation Of Research To Policy
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health & Society Scholars (HSS) program was designed to build the nation’s capacity for research, leadership, and policy change, while addressing the multiple determinants of population health. One of its goals was to produce a cadre of scientific leaders who could contribute to this research and spearhead action to improve overall population health and eliminate health inequities. A report takes a case study approach using six diverse examples of science to policy translation generated by Scholars in the HSS program from 2003 to 2016. Because the HSS program was discontinued in 2017, the Milbank Memorial Fund published these case studies in the hope that many audiences, including students, would use them to learn about the connection between research, decision making, and policy. The case studies are on the following topics:
Healthy and Unhealthy Food Sources in New York City,
Fragile Health and Fragile Wealth,
Medical Marijuana as a Strategy to Reduce Opioid Overdose Deaths? Lessons from a Study of State Medical Marijuana Laws,
How Practitioners Bring Population Health Ideas Into Other Policy Sectors: Lessons from Transportation,
Forefront Suicide Prevention’s Wheel of Change: Catalyzing a Social Movement to Prevent Suicide, and
Exposure to Heat Waves: Making Film and Policy.
The report can be obtained here.
Achieving Rural Health Equity And Well-Being: Proceedings Of A Workshop
Rural counties make up about 80 percent of the land area of the United States, but they contain less than 20 percent of the U.S. population. The relative sparseness of the population in rural areas is one of many factors that influence the health and well-being of rural Americans. Rural areas have histories, economies, and cultures that differ from those of cities and from one rural area to another. Understanding these differences is critical to taking steps to improve health and well-being in rural areas and to reduce health disparities among rural populations. To explore the impacts of economic, demographic, and social issues in rural communities and to learn about asset-based approaches to addressing the associated challenges, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine held a workshop on June 13, 2017. A publication that summarizes the presentations and discussions from the workshop can be obtained here.
More Articles from September 2018 TRENDS
FULFILLING A QUEST FOR PATIENT-CENTERED CARE
Patient-centered care is an important aspect of service delivery, but more efforts are needed to achieve its full potential. Read More
PRESIDENT’S CORNER—ASAHP MEMBER FOCUS
Charles Gulas, Dean of the Walker College of Health Professions at Maryville University of Saint Louis, is featured in this issue of TRENDS. Read More
FISCAL YEAR 2019 FUNDING PICTURE BRIGHTENS
For the first time in 15 years, Congress manages to complete a funding package for health and education prior to the start of the next fiscal year on October 1. Read More
HEALTH REFORM DEVELOPMENTS
Some states seek workforce requirements for certain Medicaid recipients, a challenge is mounted to stop an expansion of short-term health insurance plans, and savings are produced by accountable care organizations. Read More
DEVELOPMENTS IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Opponents respond to a Trump Administration proposal to rescind gainful employment regulations, representatives of various interest groups testify at a U.S. Department of Education hearing on accreditation, and Congress increases appropriations for education programs. Read More
QUICK STAT (SHORT, TIMELY, AND TOPICAL)
Prevalence Of Chronic Pain And High-Impact Chronic Pain Among Adults—United States
Daily Use Of Marijuana Among Non-College Young Adults
Micromotor Pills As A Dynamic Oral Delivery Platform
Using Biomimicry To Develop Solutions For Human Health Problems Read More