Local public health officials and employees are working to ensure there are as few barriers as possible for every Union County resident to live a healthy life.
During the most recent Board of Health meeting, Union County Health Department officials detailed their approach to helping community members achieve good health.
UCHD Public Information Officer Jennifer Thrush emphasized that the health department does not aim to “force” residents into making what they would consider healthy decisions.
Instead, UCHD staff work to empower people and ensure everyone has an equal opportunity to take action if they so desire.
For example, Thrush said a health department goal could be to increase physical activity throughout the community.
She said health departments would historically approach this goal by giving everyone a bike.
Now, Thrush said public health workers recognize that such a solution would not work for everyone. Older individuals with limited mobility likely would not be more active by owning a bike, nor would those who have physical disabilities.
Giving everyone the same bike would not even be suitable for smaller children or adults for whom the bike was too small.
Thrush said the health department instead focuses on “addressing health disparities.”
She analyzed a specific area of the community – census tract 505, which includes Windsor and Greenwood Colony neighborhoods – as part of her example.
Thrush said this area has the highest percentage of residents aged 60 or older in Union County.
According to census data, residents there have the lowest median household income and the highest average poverty rate.
The area is considered a food desert, meaning there is no place to purchase fresh groceries in a close vicinity, and it has the highest percentage of SNAP food benefit users.
Additionally, 13% of the individuals living in this area do not have a car.
The census data also shows that about 38% of residents in that area spend more than 35% of their monthly income on housing.
Given that information, Thrush said UCHD staff aim to reduce the barrier this population might face.
For instance, working to add a grocery store might not solve concerns about food insecurity, given that many individuals do not have access to a car and may have physical mobility limitations.
Thrush said the health department could work to support increasing the locations of farmers markets in the area and ensuring they accept SNAP benefits, as UCHD has worked toward with a number of local markets.
Likewise, UCHD could support transportation initiatives that would help people living in this area to access the resources or care they need.
Thrush said public health employees could also work on programming that improves older adult independence, like their falls prevention programs.
Ultimately, no matter which group of people the health department is working with, Thrush said they work to equip them with information and give them opportunities to take action.
Thrush said the health department always aims to work through a lens that people have competing needs and limited resources.
She emphasized that UCHD works with accurate data to make information available to community members. Thrush said it is extremely important that UCHD is a trusted source in the community.
From there, the health department works to make sure as many barriers as possible are removed from accessing the resources local residents could benefit from.
Then, community members can decide whether they would like to participate in certain programs or take advantage of those resources.