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Health Means

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Health Means Looking at the Bigger Picture, Getting Uncomfortable, and Addressing Wicked Issues

Posted on by dekiss4

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the social determinants of health (SDOH) are the non-medical factors that influence health outcomes. “They are the conditions in which people are born, grow, work, live, and age, and the wider set of forces and systems shaping the conditions of daily life”.

Point 1: The entire world around you – near and far, big and small – affects your ability to be healthy.

Next, consider this series of questions about each of the stages of life mentioned by the WHO. These questions can help you: 1) more clearly understand what a social determinant is, 2) recognize the positive and negative determinants in your own life, and 3) think about others’ determinants, especially those who are not as privileged as yourself. Before you read on, keep in mind that this is not an exhaustive list and the issues represented in the following questions only represent some of the SDOH.

  • Born. Did your mother have access to quality care, prenatal vitamins, birthing classes, and other resources? Did she live in a safe home during her pregnancy and have access to healthy foods? Was she positively and safely supported by her partner or someone else? Where were you born? Was that hospital properly staffed with quality medical professionals and amply supplied? Did the hospital staff prioritize three White patients before they would even look at your Black mother even though she was in distress?
  • Grow. Did you have access to a quality education? Did your parents read to you and were you able to communicate in a positive way with them? Or did you walk to school in constant fear of getting shot, raped, or robbed? Did the stress of living in poverty and raising siblings practically on your own adversely affect your brain development?
  • Work. Do you work and receive a living wage? Do you have transportation to get you to work on time every day? Do you have the proper clothes to wear? Is your workplace safe? Do you have childcare for your children while you’re away?
  • Live. Do you have positive and supportive family, friends, and community? Are you able to participate in civic organizations and clubs, visit a local library, or walk and bike around town? Do you have broadband internet, healthy air, and clean water with fluoride? Do you have access to mental health care, birth control, preventative visits, eye exams, dental cleanings, and cancer screenings?
  • Age. Do you have an entrance to your home without steps? Do you have access to quality and healthy meal delivery services, home health assistance, and transportation? Are you financially stable and able to pay your bills? Do you frequently fall, have asthma attacks, or visit the ER? Are you socially isolated and lonely? Have you been a victim of elder abuse, scams, or Medicare fraud? Are you able to live independently and age in place?

Point 2: The more positive things in your life and environment, the healthier you can be.

Sounds easy, right? Let’s tell everyone to swap their cheeseburger for a salad and we’ll be on our way to a health revolution! Well…no.

The reality is that no one can 100% control their health outcomes. And many individuals will never be able to check the boxes that bode well as social determinants because they, as an individual, simply cannot change them. It takes all of us – individually and systemically. Racism, poverty, social injustices, and accessibility are uncomfortable, complex, and wicked issues, but they’re not going anywhere. And it’s high time we embrace the uncomfortable, complex, and wicked.

Point 3: We can no longer ignore racism, poverty, social injustices, and accessibility. These are the major issues influencing our ability to be healthy and well, and nothing will change unless we all do.

Health means…increasing the proportion of children living with at least one employed parent year round, full time.

Contributor: Erin Yelland

Health Means — Perspective

Posted on by dekiss4

Many of us would probably agree that the development and administration of the COVID-19 vaccines have led to a much needed “re-awakening” across the nation.  Coast-to-coast, people completing their COVID-19 vaccinations are re-energized, and re-connecting.  A large number are getting back to their former lives; breathing a sigh of relief and putting this phase of their lived experience far behind them. Many think, “Good riddance!”  For these folks, it’s likely that their perspective has been that the pandemic constrained their lives and the sooner it’s over the better.  Their facemasks are now stuffed in the glovebox of their car to gather dust.

However, for a majority, the vaccinations, though welcome, are a benchmark for a life that will never be the same.  The struggle, loss, and uncertainty associated with the coronavirus is etched in their memories and has become part of their identities. It has not only impacted family and friends, but it has changed the overall health of the nation with many researchers contending that overall life expectancy has been reduced by a year as a result. People of color and those lacking access to health care are the hardest hit. Viewing the pandemic through different perspectives was the focus of a study conducted by a team from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. In recently published articles, the study revealed how personal views and perspectives about the pandemic affected mask wearing and other health behaviors in rural areas. Koon, et. al (2021) identified four frames or perspectives that people used to make sense of the coronavirus: concern, crisis, constraint and conspiracy.  Each perspective resulted in different behaviors and choices that could explain why some have been hesitant to get vaccinated. The researchers are now using their results to design targeted outreach efforts that will frame vaccination communication and other necessary responses to the pandemic.

In the meantime, the “long-haulers”, those 10%-30% of people who continue to have prolonged symptoms months after contracting the coronavirus, are likely to have a different perspective. They continue to live with symptoms that the National Institutes of Health will spend more than $1.1 billion over four years to study with the hope of discovering some answers.  Recently, some long-haulers have reported having some relief of symptoms after having gotten COVID-19 vaccinations (The Washington Post; March 16, 2021). Still, there is just not enough known about the virus and its long-term impacts on individuals or on populations.  It’s the long-haulers who might teach us the most about a perspective of compassion as the pandemic runs its course.  Maybe we can all benefit from compassion for those who continue to acquire the disease, those who cope with its impacts, and for all who have lived through it.

Health means…increasing the capacity of the primary care and behavioral health workforce to deliver high quality, timely, and accessible patient-centered care.

 Contributor: Elaine Johannes (ejohanne@ksu.edu)

Health Means – TRUST

Posted on by dekiss4

During the past several weeks, I’ve been able to volunteer at some of Riley County’s COVID-19 testing and vaccination clinics. What a great experience! Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@bernardhermant?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Bernard Hermant</a> on <a href="/s/photos/trust?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Unsplash</a> During these community events I’ve learned about trust. So, I think that Health Means – TRUST.

While serving as a volunteer during coronavirus testing drives I saw examples of trust – one after another.  I saw health professionals put their trust in the personal protective equipment (PPE) they used to protect themselves while nasal-swabbing over 300 first responders and health providers.  I admired the trust that the fire fighters and police officers had for the gentle care of health department nurses when they collected each important sample.  I also saw the trust that the county’s elected officials had for the local journalists when they reported on the successes of the testing events held in smaller towns in the rural parts of the county.

Then, when the vaccine became available the trust that older adults, their care providers and health- compromised citizens put in the efficacy of the vaccine was inspiring. While volunteering in the post-vaccination waiting area, I heard several who had received their vaccination admit that they decided to be vaccinated because of the trust they put in their family, friends, and doctors who trusted the science behind the vaccine. Following the encouragement of those they knew and respected, the recipients learned about the science that resulted in the trusted vaccine.

That trust is well-deserved.  According to a March 18 presentation by Dr. Barney Graham, deputy director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Vaccine Research Center at the National Institutes of Health, and a Kansan who has been called the “father of the COVID-19 vaccine,” the science was already underway to produce the vaccine before the need arrived.  For nearly seven years, studies of 26 different viruses had been in progress, and with the infusion of much-needed funding for additional studies, equipment and personnel the pace of vaccine development was quickened.  Trust in the laboratory teams, in the innovative public-private partnerships that “cut red-tape and not corners,” and in the scientific process resulted in the relief and tears of gratitude I witnessed while serving at the vaccination clinics.  Dr. Graham provided insights into the development of the vaccine and explained why some may initially be hesitant to have a vaccination when it becomes available to them. His remarks answered questions and built trust throughout the state, and are available at: https://www.ksre.k-state.edu/covid-19-resources/covid-19-vaccine-webinar.html

It was Booker T. Washington who said “Few things can help an individual more than to place responsibility on him, and to let him know that you trust him. “ I’ll offer this slight modification that there are few things that can be more helpful than to have trust in each other.

Every year in the United States, many people get diseases that vaccines can prevent. Health means…preventing infectious diseases by increasing vaccination rates.

Contributor: Elaine Johannes (ejohanne@ksu.edu)

Child Care is Part of a Healthy Society

Posted on by dekiss4

Access to quality, affordable child care may not seem like the most intuitive element of health. However, I ask you to stop and think about how often you have personally experienced at least one of the following situations: a) You or your co-workers have left a meeting to care for young children, b) You or your co-workers had children in meetings because of children’s needs, c) You or your co-workers reduced or lacked productivity because of simultaneously caring for children, and d) you or a colleague were absent from work because of child care needs. As you consider the above scenarios, I ask you to think about how much they affected your individual, family, community, and employer’s efficiency and psychological/emotional health.

The American Rescue Plan, the current proposed plan to help Americans suffering during the Covid-19 pandemic, provides approximately $40 billion to states via the Child Care and Development Block Grant program (CCDBG). It contains $15 billion to expand the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) and $25 billion to stabilize the business of child care, a sector shattered by the pandemic. Upon passage of the plan, the state of Kansas is expected to receive approximately $134 million in CCDBG funds and $214 million for stabilization and enhancement funds, for a total of $348 million.

This could be a turning point for child care in Kansas. For child-care providers, Covid-19 has led to enrollment declines, increased costs to operate, and myriad staffing challenges. For many, it has meant closing the doors and folding the business. These stabilization funds proposed to soften the pandemic’s ongoing effects represent desperately needed action. However, it is essential to recognize that returning to a pre-coronavirus baseline would not be nearly enough to create stability for childcare businesses and capacity adequately supporting children, families, and communities. Revisiting how we fund child care in the U.S. could improve the health and well being of all families given the reduced stress, increases in productivity, and economic benefits that quality, affordable child care brings. Health means…increasing the proportion of children who participate in high-quality early childhood education programs.

Contributor: Bradford Wiles

#HealthMeans…Time for a Reboot

Posted on by dekiss4

 

When we started the #HealthMeans blog, our goal was to start a conversation about health – what health means to us, what health means to you. That’s still our goal.

Simply put, we believe that health is more than the absence of disease or illness. We are educators and researchers at Kansas State University.

 

In our work through K-State Research and Extension, we address the social determinants of health through our focus on:

  • family life,
  • child development,
  • youth development,
  • adult development and aging,
  • family finances,
  • healthy eating and active living, and
  • community health and health policy.

We look forward to the conversation!

Strengths of Healthy Families

Posted on by dekiss4

Charlotte Shoup Olsen, Professor and Extension Specialist, shares a personal reflection on what health means to her.

colsenIt is no secret that children and adults with stable and satisfying family relationships experience greater emotional stability and health than do individuals who live with constant family tension and negative interactions. Continual and elevated stress levels are known to cause depression, hypertension, and heart disease, and can lead to sleep issues.  It has also been documented in the research that feelings of resentment and anger may cause a decrease in the functioning of the immune system over time. Thus, family relationships and how family members communicate with each other has to be recognized as an important component of health. A research-based family strengths model that has been tested worldwide helps us understand qualities of successful and healthy family functioning.

The strengths are:

  • showing appreciation and affection for each other,
  • commitment,
  • positive communication,
  • enjoyment in being together,
  • spiritual well-being, and
  • the ability to cope with stress and crises.

Health…A personal reflection

Posted on by dekiss4

Roberta Riportella, Kansas Health Foundation Professor of Community Health, shares a personal reflection on what health means to her.

rriporteHealth is something many of us, including me, take for granted until we don’t have it.  I think about this as health being part of the means to which I get to do all of the things I want to do: personally and professionally.  That is, when I have my health I’m able to perform to the best of my abilities.  When my health is compromised, I cannot.  I’m usually miserable and just sulk away to lick my wounds until I feel better to face the world’s challenges. For someone who really is in excellent health, I measure changes in my health by minor inconveniences in living.  I can be feeling unhealthy when I don’t have the energy to do what needs to get done.  Any number of factors can affect my health:  a grey sky can make me feel blue, a cold can be annoying, a fever is something more serious to be addressed, and stomach distress is particularly distracting.  I don’t necessarily include injuries in my overall concept of health…those, while annoying, are time limited problems that I have learned will eventually heal and most of the time, I can still function around an injury.  My evaluation of an injury has more to do with how much pain accompanies it.  Significant pain causes mental distractions and then I’m back to feeling unhealthy.

The Power of Attitude

Posted on by Erin Yelland

Erin Yelland, Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist, shares a personal reflection on what health means to her.

erin yelland

I’ve spent a bit of time in recent weeks asking folks, “What does the word ‘health’ mean to you?” Most of the time, people sit and ponder for a few moments. So, sit and ponder for a minute. Health…what does it mean to you?

Maybe health is feeling good, feeling able, or living without physical struggles. But, as I sit here and ponder, my mind immediately goes towards that latter end of the lifespan – after all, I am the adult development and aging specialist for K-State Research and Extension! Specifically, what will it take for me to make it to a happy, healthy 100 years old (because I AM going to make it a happy, healthy 100…right?)? Of course it will require healthy eating and adequate physical activity – the “typical” things we think of. But what will push you to achieve all of those wonderful things? In my mind, it’s your attitude! If you don’t have a positive outlook on life, what will motivate you to eat healthfully? What will motivate you to get off the couch and exercise? What will motivate you to whip and nae nae? A positive attitude is so powerful and affects your overall happiness, health, and well-being. How does positive attitude fit into your definition of health?

Health means….

Posted on by dekiss4

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In 2014, K-State Research and Extension celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Smith-Lever Act, which established the Cooperative Extension Service, a state-by-state national network of educators who extend university-based research and knowledge to the people. We believe our network can do for the nation’s health in our second century what it did for American agriculture in its first century.

Health can mean different things to each of us. For that reason, as we embark on this work, we are asking Kansans and others what #healthmeans to them. We want to hear from YOU – tell us #healthmeans to you. Simply post, share, or tweet using the #healthmeans hashtag.

We’ll be regularly blogging here so please visit often and connect with us through the comments.

You can also connect with us on:

  • Facebook at
    • facebook.com/aginginkansas
  • Twitter at
    • @BwilesKSRE
    • @KSREaging
    • @dottiedurband
  • Instragram at
    • ksrefamilyfinances

Cheers to the start of many rich conversations about health and well-being!

We look forward to connecting with you in the comments. Join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram with #HealthMeans.