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Health Equity and Livable Communities

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Health Equity 

Poor health outcomes for African Americans, Hispanic Americans, American Indians, Alaska Natives, Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders are apparent when comparing their health indicators to Florida's general population.
These minority populations experience higher rates of illness and death from health conditions such as heart disease, stroke, specific cancers, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, mental health, asthma, hepatitis B, and obesity.

For Every Newborn, There is One Mother For Every Newborn, There is One Mother
According to the CDC, U.S. mothers who are black are 3 to 4 times more likely to die from complications related to childbirth than mothers who are white—regardless of income, geographical location or relative health.

The Definition of Health Equity

Health equity: Health equity is attainment of the highest level of health for all people. Achieving health equity requires valuing everyone equally with focused and ongoing societal efforts to address avoidable inequalities, historical and contemporary injustices, and the elimination of health and health care disparities.

Livable Communities  

As the population of the United States ages and people live healthier, more active and longer lives, communities must adapt. Well-designed, livable communities promote health and sustain economic growth, and they make for happier, healthier residents — of all ages.

Every person should have the opportunity to live a long and healthy life. Yet, the environments in which we live can favor health or be harmful to it. Environments are highly influential on our behavior, our exposure to health risks (for example air pollution, violence), our access to quality health and social care and the opportunities that ageing brings.

Livable Communities is about creating the environments and opportunities that enable people to be and do what they value throughout their lives. Everyone can experience healthy ageing.