The report from the Citizen's Research Council of Michigan determined access to financial resources sets the foundation for all other factors in health outcomes.
“Things like housing access to healthy food, transportation, childcare education: all of these things are in many ways more determinant of how healthy someone is than their access to actual medical care.”
Maureen Kirkwood is the President of Health Net of West Michigan, a nonprofit advocating for equitable healthcare
“It's certainly been a long-established public health concept that wealth equals health.
There've been numerous studies that have shown that your ZIP Code determines your life expectancy.”
Kirkwood says West Michigan healthcare systems consider several factors, collaborating and implementing programs.
She offers an example.
“Food prescriptions. You're almost ordering medically, tailored meals, or healthy food prescriptions for patients who might need to control diabetes or cardiovascular issues.
There is definitely a recognition among the healthcare institutions that you have to work with the community.”
The report concludes that to improve health outcomes, policymakers must recognize that public health is largely driven by other factors and consider long-term solutions to those underlying problems.
Kirkwood agrees.
“If there's one thing I could say to policymakers its: the more you can simplify and connect the systems so that it's not so challenging to get resources that you're eligible for, the better everyone will be.”
For a weekly dose of news right to your inbox, sign up for the WGVU newsletter.
