Respond to the posts
Article: Access to Health Foods: Social Determinants of Health
1.
· One of the main problems in the US is food insecurity which can be defined as food desert or food swaps that do not provide access to healthy food
· All levels of government are working to help the issue by programs such as SNAP, Medicaid, WIC, and Food banks
· Healthcare practices continuously work to innovate programs for their members to increase whole-person health with access to food
· BCBSMA Foundation operates separately but provides grants to nonprofits to support low-income individuals and populations with chronic diseases
· Collaboration and community gathering are key parts of the success of spreading nutrition around the country and improving the lifestyle to all
2.
· Even though many see that there is no issue with food since we always see it around us there are those who cannot afford it or can only afford nonnutritious food that can lead to chronic disease
· Many government programs can help those in need such as SNAP or food stamps and having a plethora of local food banks to support communities
· It is not just up to the government to help fix food insecurities you have to be willing to help as a community even if it is just donating a couple of things to food banks in your area or volunteering at centers or organizations such as Meals on Wheels
5 bullet points summarizing “Social Determinants of Health: Social Isolation and Loneliness” by AHIP:
· Through analysis and research, data has shown that people suffering from isolation or loneliness are thirty percent more prone to have a heart attack or stroke.
· To measure the level of loneliness, healthcare professionals use a survey called the “Loneliness Scale” of 20 questions on how an individual feels about themselves.
· As social isolation and loneliness can impact people of any age, it has been shown that Generation Z is the loneliest generation with the highest scores.
· In some ways to reduce social isolation and loneliness, many health insurance providers are developing various health programs for people to participate in and connect with, like the Blue Cross Virtual Well-Being program.
· Lastly, Florida Blue has also launched a program for their Florida Blue members where they connect college students and older adults for assistance and companionship together to offer a unique at-home experience between them.
3 self-reflection:
· After reading the article “Social Determinants of Health: Social Isolation and Loneliness” by AHIP, I have learned that social determinants such as isolation and loneliness can heavily impact any adult of any age.
· By being able to create different tools to analyze people’s social determinants, healthcare providers can design different health programs to reduce the rates of people becoming depressed or lonely.
· I believe researching these types of social determinants is essential for everyone’s health because it helps healthcare professionals combat the effects of current mental health issues, and it helps create different solutions in which the healthcare system can improve health disparities.
A question for the class – do you have advance directives in place? If not, why? (Younger age, personal beliefs, didn’t know about it, etc.).
How do you think ongoing changes in patient rights will shape future healthcare policies?
