POSTED BY:
Joannie Yeh, MD

With all of the news and debates about health care these days, you may have heard the term “community health improvement.” You may hear even more buzz about it during Community Health Improvement Week, June 5-11th. Community health improvement essentially means identifying and addressing communities’ health needs in order to improve the health of the community as a whole — not just the health of individuals. So why does that matter to you or your child? Because “community health” involves so many aspects of our lives. These are the kinds of things to consider when it comes to community health improvement: Socioeconomic factors Is affordable transportation available for families to get to and from appointments? Do they have money for copays and medications? Can they afford to the make lifestyle changes — low-salt diet, more fruits and vegetables — that the doctor recommended? What is the state minimum wage? Health […]

As we make our New Year’s resolutions for 2017, let’s keep in mind that our success spills over to our kids. How well we do with more exercise, eating more real foods and less processed foods, taking care of our mental health, and quitting nicotine directly affects our kids’ health. After all, research shows that: Parents who model healthy eating behaviors increase the likelihood that their kids will also make healthier food choices. Girls are more physically active when their moms exercise regularly. Children of parents who are depressed may score lower in school than those who have parents without a mood disorder. Laws that limit spaces where people (i.e., parents) can smoke have led to fewer asthma hospitalizations for kids. So here are some tips to keep going strong for ourselves and our kids through the entire 2017 year. 1. Make small, specific changes. Here are some examples: Healthy […]