How to Provide Healthier Environments in Big Cities Essay

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Local Health Policy: Philadelphia

In the article by Brownson, et al., the authors assert that environmental changes and certain policy interventions can have a positive impact in terms of reducing the incidence of chronic disease in a community. The authors go on to explain how interventions and environmental policies in a community can "…provide opportunities, support, and cues to help people develop healthier behaviors" (Brownson, et al., 2005, p. 17.2). This article also posits that pursuing a healthier environment benefits everyone in the community, which is a policy that makes sense from a public health standpoint because "changing the behavior of one person at a time" is short-sighted (Brownson, 17.2). Among the interventions that Brownson reviews are: a) tobacco use reduction (through clean air laws; taxes; restriction of availability); b) advertising; and education; c) better access to fitness facilities and school-based physical education programs; d) encouraging healthy eating in schools and at worksites; and e) taxing snack foods and reduced pricing on healthy foods (Brownson, 17-2-17.9).

Philadelphia Public Health Policies

In Philadelphia, the public health policies put forward are strikingly similar to those presented by Brownson and colleagues in their peer-reviewed article. The Philadelphia Department of Public Health (PDPH) shows its deep concern for its citizens because it plans to apply for public health accreditation in 2015; and even though public health accreditation is not a requirement of a public health agency (in terms of future funding), in Philadelphia they know that grant awards in the future may not be available for those communities that are not accredited.

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Meanwhile, in its "Community Health Assessment" for 2014, the PDPH reports that 40% of the premature deaths in Philadelphia are due to "behavioral patterns," 15% are due to "social circumstances"; 30% are due to "genetic predisposition"; 10% are because of poor healthcare; and 5% result from "environmental exposure" (PDPH, 2002).

Those 40% of premature deaths due to "behavioral patterns" certainly include the issue of tobacco use, and includes the foods (healthy or not) that a person eats as well. In Philadelphia public health officials team up with elected officials to enact legislation that supports a healthier environment. For example, there is an ordinance against restaurants using artificial "trans fats"; there is a "smoke-free" workplace law; there are support groups for smoking cessation; and there is a menu label law regarding the nutrition (or lack of it) in….....

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"How To Provide Healthier Environments In Big Cities", 06 June 2014, Accessed.19 May. 2024,
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