All CBHA Content

Fact Sheet: Social Determinants of Health

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 20:28:00 GMT

This fact sheet provides a guide to the available Commission resources -- charts, stories, publications and more -- across all of the social factors that affect health.

Abang Ojullu

Thu, 26 Aug 2010 20:44:00 GMT

Abang Ojullu remembers all too vividly the day she put her eldest daughter on a small ambulance jet bound for Sioux Falls. The child’s asthma attack was too severe for doctors in rural Worthington, Minn. to treat.

Final Commission Meeting

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 22:58:00 GMT

The Commission held its final meeting in Washington, D.C., on October 9, 2009. Featuring organizations and policy leaders in the areas of early childhood, nutrition and physical activity, housing and the built environment, and population health, the meeting focused on current progress and the next steps necessary to make the Commission's recommendations a reality.

Commissioner Podcast Series

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 22:51:00 GMT

Hear what the Commissioners have to say about the journey of the Commission to Build a Healthier America, the recommendations that they developed and the future of health in America in a final Podcast Series on the Leadership Blog.

America's Health Starts With Healthy Children: How Do States Compare?

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 15:00:00 GMT

This chartbook, America's Health Starts With Healthy Children: How Do States Compare?, examines the health of children from different socioeconomic backgrounds in every state to document how healthy our nation's children are now and how healthy they could be if we as a nation were realizing our full health potential.

Overcoming Obstacles to Health

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 16:21:00 GMT

This RWJF report to the Commission provides evidence describing the current health profile of Americans looking specifically at how income, education, and race and ethnicity play a role in Americans’ health.

Early Life Experience

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 15:43:00 GMT

Early childhood experiences can have powerful influences on an individual's health, not just in childhood but throughout life. Children born premature and underweight are more likely to face health problems than their peers, which can later lead to other factors which negatively impact health.

Education

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 15:43:00 GMT

Education has profound health effects. More education makes an individual more aware of healthy and unhealthy choices and makes it easier to make healthy choices.

Income

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 15:43:00 GMT

For centuries, poverty has been linked to ill health. It is not difficult to understand why the poor would have worse health than people with greater economic means. We now know that even middle-class people generally have poorer health than the most affluent.

Work

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 15:43:00 GMT

Work can influence health in many ways, including through links both with health care insurance and with physically hazardous exposures in the workplace.

Housing

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 15:43:00 GMT

Poor-quality housing poses a risk of exposure to many conditions that can contribute to poor health, such as indoor allergens that can lead to and exacerbate asthma, injuries, and exposure to lead and other toxic substances.

Community

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 15:43:00 GMT

Characteristics of communities can influence health in many direct and indirect ways. For example, neighborhoods can be physically hazardous because of air and chemical pollution, traffic, lack of sidewalks and safe places to exercise, and because of crime.

Race and Ethnicity

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 15:43:00 GMT

Racial and ethnic background has profound effects on an individual’s health primarily because of the different social and economic experiences – advantages and disadvantages – that go along with race and ethnicity.

The Economy

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 15:43:00 GMT

The general economic environment can affect health by affecting levels of unemployment, wages and benefits, barriers to educational attainment, and availability of social and health services.

Infant and Child Health

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 15:43:00 GMT

Infant and Child Health

Adult Chronic Diseases

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 15:42:00 GMT

Adult Chronic Diseases

A Closing Word from Risa Lavizzo-Mourey on the Commission to Build a Healthier America

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 20:05:00 GMT

After a year and a half, two major reports and national events, three regional field hearings, nine issue briefs, two chart books, and more than 50 meetings with leaders from government and the private sector, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Commission to Build a Healthier America has come to a close.

D.C. bill aims to improve nutrition, exercise among students

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 18:12:00 GMT

The District's schools would be required to serve students fresh produce from local growers and to dramatically expand physical education programs under a bill introduced by D.C. Council member Mary M. Cheh and Chairman Vincent C. Gray.

Issue Brief: Message Translation

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 16:07:00 GMT

The Commission's challenge was to frame highly-specific and technical information about social determinants and health disparities into language that would resonate with a diverse group of leaders. This issue brief, Message Translation, describes the research-based process used to develop messages and shares the results for broader use.

USA Today: A healthier Head Start focuses more on preventing obesity

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 14:39:00 GMT

Many preschool children in Head Start programs are being offered fruits and vegetables and low-fat or non-fat milk daily as directors are increasingly concerned about childhood obesity. The children also have a chance to play each day.

Guest Post: Toward the Healthy City

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 16:54:00 GMT

What makes a city healthy and how would we know when a city is healthy? This question has challenged planners, public health officials and urban residents from Mesopotamia to modern American cities.

Jason Corburn

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 18:28:00 GMT

Jason Corburn

From Congress to the Cafeteria: Healthy Food is a Priority

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 18:27:00 GMT

The Commission recognized the importance of nutritious food for improving the health of Americans when it released its recommendations in April. It saw communities without any access to grocery stores and fresh produce, school meals for children containing chicken nuggets, pizza and fries, and a country disconnected from the food system it relies on for its nutritional wellbeing. But recently, the tide has begun to turn.

Washington Post: America's economic pain brings hunger pangs

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 20:06:00 GMT

The nation's economic crisis has catapulted the number of Americans who lack enough food to the highest level since the government has been keeping track, according to a new federal report, which shows that nearly 50 million people -- including almost one child in four -- struggled last year to get enough to eat.

Great American Smokeout

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:27:00 GMT

The Commission has noted that to be a healthier nation, we must be a smoke-free nation. Take action today by participating in the Great American Smokeout. Plan your Smokeout activities and read tips to help you quit smoking.

Reaching America's Health Potential Among Adults: A State-by-State Look at Adult Health

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 21:07:00 GMT

Reaching America’s Health Potential Among Adults: A State-by-State Look at Adult Health – the second Commission chartbook investigating health across social and economic groups – examines the differences in adults’ health based on their levels of education. Nationally and in each state there is a consistent and striking pattern: as levels of education rise, health improves.

Summary: Final Commission Meeting

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 21:07:00 GMT

Live from APHA: Working Together to Make Americans Healthier

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:39:00 GMT

From RWJF’s liveblog of the 2009 American Public Health Association (APHA) conference in Philadelphia comes a new post on Commission and its recommendations for improving America’s health.

The Health Care Blog: We the Consumers

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:21:00 GMT

As part of the work of the Commission to Build a Healthier America, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation released an issue brief in September, titled Education and Health. The RWJF study finds that those of us that never graduated from high school are twice as likely to report being in poor health than college graduates.

RWJF APHA Blog: Menu-Labeling’s Impact Across the Country

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 21:56:00 GMT

Live coverage from APHA: Analysis of menu-labeling efforts across the country have shown that, on average, 30% of people who see the posted calorie information use it.

Laurie A. Westley

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:10:00 GMT

Laurie A. Westley

Guest Post: “What does ‘good health’ mean to girls?”

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:58:00 GMT

America’s health starts with healthy children, but what does “good health” mean to kids? At Girls Scouts of the USA, we’re working to bring an important perspective to the table: we know what works for girls.

Wall Street Journal: Annual Checkup

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 17:47:00 GMT

How the U.S. performs on various health-care measures compared with the 29 other members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the Paris-based group of industrialized countries.

U.S. News & World Report: Planning a Move? Look for These 4 Features That Make a Healthy Neighborhood

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 17:26:00 GMT

Walkability, bike paths, and other qualities may cut odds of developing type 2 diabetes and obesity.

Poverty’s High Cost to Health

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:54:00 GMT

In the September 2009 Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity webcast, RWJF President and CEO Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, M.D., M.B.A., discusses social and economic factors that influence health, including access to high quality health care, healthy neighborhoods and grocery stores.

USA Today: WIC program adds healthier mix of foods

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:15:00 GMT

Millions of women and children are eating more fruits, vegetables and whole grains in a public health campaign that all states had to join by his month. In the largest overhaul since it began in 1974, the federal Women, Infants and Children (WIC) nutrition program has begun giving vouchers for a wider variety of food to its 9.3 million low-income participants — mothers, infants and children up to 5 years old.

U.S. News & World Report: Poor Education May Lead to Poor Health

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 15:16:00 GMT

Adults with a poor education are also likely to have poor health, a growing body of evidence suggests. Study after study has confirmed the link, and now experts are zeroing in on the reasons for it and what can be done.

Commission Launches Extensive New Database of Prevention and Wellness Resources

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 19:38:00 GMT

The Commission launched a new online resource guide today at resources.commissiononhealth.org that features key organizations, reports and experts in nutrition, physical activity, early childhood, tobacco and healthy communities.

Washington Post Blog - All We Can Eat: School Lunch Money

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 18:44:00 GMT

The debate over health care has largely eclipsed talk of school lunch reform. But there's good news for advocates of healthful school food in the House Agriculture Appropriations conference report: $135 million worth, to be precise.

Issue Brief: "The Poor Pay More -- Poverty's High Cost to Health"

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 19:45:00 GMT

New issue brief from Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity describes many of the ways in which being poor is bad for one’s health and points to policies that have the potential for restoring the prospect of good health to the lives of the poor.

Washington Post: U.S. Losing Ground on Preventable Deaths

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 19:31:00 GMT

As Congress presses forward with landmark legislation to revamp the nation's health-care system, lawmakers are grappling with a troubling question: Are Americans dying too soon? The answer is yes.

Briefing: Beyond Health Care Reform - Health & Equity in All Policies

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 19:29:00 GMT

Unfair and avoidable differences in health and safety in the US will continue grow with the recession. Although health care reform is needed, it is not enough. Access to health care accounts for only 10% to 25% of the variance in health. RSVP now for The Institute for Alternative Futures briefing on October 20 on Capitol Hill.

Education and Health Briefing

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 21:57:00 GMT

The Commission held an experts' meeting on September 9 to discuss the connection between education and health. Download the event summary, listen to the recording and more here.

Guest Post: School's Out for...Never? (Updated: Watch Vialet on ABC Now)

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 17:29:00 GMT

As President Obama calls for lengthening the school day and shortening summer vacation to improve education for U.S. children, Jill Vialet, founder and president of Playworks, explains that "there's a way to recapture an entire week for each classroom every year that already exists." The answer? "It's recess," she says. "And it can pay hefty dividends."

HealthDay News: Eating in America Still Unhealthy: CDC

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 13:11:00 GMT

Most Americans don't eat the recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables, says a U.S. government study released Tuesday. And no state has achieved national objectives for consumption of fruits and vegetables, it found.

Jill Vialet

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 18:42:00 GMT

Jill Vialet

Fact Sheet: Improving the Health of All Americans through Better Nutrition

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 16:00:00 GMT

Poor nutrition is threatening America’s health. Today’s children may be the first in American history to live sicker and die younger than their parents’ generation. Experts warn that excess weight could reduce average life expectancy by five years or more in the next few decades.

Washington Post: Montgomery Wants to Know: Will That Road Make You Sick?

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 13:55:00 GMT

Montgomery County officials want to know if that new road might make you wheeze. Officials on Tuesday will propose requiring health studies before major roads are approved. They want to gauge how vehicle exhaust will affect minors, seniors, women who might have children, heart patients and others.

LA Times: William H. Frist: Focus on wellness

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 15:48:00 GMT

True healthcare reform requires a radical reorientation of our health sector to emphasize staying well. For the first time in history, we are raising a generation of children who will live sicker and shorter lives than their parents. Where and how we live, learn, work and play have a greater impact on how long and how well we live than added medical services.

New York Times: Initiative Focuses on Early Learning Programs

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 14:01:00 GMT

Tucked away in an $87 billion higher education bill that passed the House last week was a broad new federal initiative aimed not at benefiting college students, but at raising quality in the early learning and care programs that serve children from birth through age 5.

HHS Secretary Sebelius Announces Cornerstone Funding of the $650 Million Recovery Act Community Prevention and Wellness Initiative

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 21:51:00 GMT

Creating ways for healthful lifestyle habits to be the natural first choice for Americans is the goal of a $650 million initiative of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will be used to increase physical activity, improve nutrition, decrease obesity, and decrease smoking in U.S. communities.

Addressing Your Questions from the Accessing Healthy Foods Webinar

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 19:57:00 GMT

Thanks to all who joined the August 10 webinar focusing on promoting health by improving access to healthy foods. As with the previous two webinars, we've collected all the questions and answered them here on the Leadership Blog.

Issue Brief: Education Matters for Health

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 19:37:00 GMT

This Commission issue brief, Education Matters for Health, discusses the large body of evidence linking education and health and examines why, across America and generations, people with more education live longer and experience better health outcomes.

DailyFinance: Why Health Care Reform Alone Won't Make Us Any Healthier

Fri, 04 Sep 2009 17:41:00 GMT

Sure, we need health care reform to extend coverage to the uninsured, James Marks says. But Marks, a former assistant surgeon general, makes it very clear that regardless of what happens with health care reform, it won't necessarily make us all healthier.

Time For Constructive, Research-Based Dialogue About Health Reform

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 21:08:00 GMT

RWJF’s James Marks follows up his excellent piece about the CBO’s scoring rules on The Huffington Post, “What if Benjamin Franklin Ran the Congressional Budget Office?” with a call for less shouting and more constructive, research-based dialogue with the medical and health communities. Dr. Marks highlights the progress that has been made over the last month toward calling for a reevaluation of the CBO 10-year scoring horizon, which discounts investments in prevention.

IOM Releases Action Steps for Local Governments to Prevent Childhood Obesity

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 21:25:00 GMT

Recognizing that local government officials are eager to address the childhood obesity epidemic, The Institute of Medicine (IOM) produced Local Government Action to Prevent Childhood Obesity, a report that serves as a practical guide for government officials at the city, town, township or county level who want to take action to address healthy eating and active living.

New York Times: Fat Tax (Letter to the Editor, PolicyLink President Judith Bell)

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 21:16:00 GMT

David Leonhardt hits at the most underexamined part of the nation’s obesity crisis. Our choices are constrained by the options available in our communities. A healthful diet is impossible if there are no nearby places to buy healthful food. Regular exercise is unsustainable in a community without a park or safe streets for running. Low-income communities suffer the most from such environments, so it is no wonder that low-income Americans suffer disproportionately from obesity and obesity-related issues like diabetes and heart disease.

Guest Post: Separating Fact from Fiction and Health from Health Care

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 15:58:00 GMT

In an editorial on Wednesday, The New York Times debunks the often-cited claim that America has the best health care system in the world. For the politicians who routinely use this as a plank in their efforts to stifle reform, the Urban Institute study is an objective rebuke. The U.S. health care system is not the best – far from it. And Americans, with a life expectancy that still trails many other countries, are not the healthiest people in the world.

New York Times: Dennis Rivera Leads Labor Charge for Health Reform

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 18:11:00 GMT

For more than a decade, Dennis Rivera was New York’s mightiest labor leader, running a union of 300,000 health care workers that often bent Albany to its will as it scared — and angered — governors, Democratic and Republican, with its hard-hitting ads.

Addressing Your Questions from the Healthy Communities Webinar

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 19:19:00 GMT

As with the first webinar, the Commission's August 4 webinar, "Creating Healthy Communities," generated more questions from participants than we could answer during the Q&A. The questions are compiled and answered by Commission staff in the post below.

August 10 Webinar: Access to Healthy Foods

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 19:07:00 GMT

Thanks to all who joined the August 10 webinar focusing on promoting health by improving access to healthy foods. For information about the other Commission webinars, visit the events section here.

National Journal: Should The Government Try To Make You Healthy?

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 18:10:00 GMT

Of the eight goals for health care reform laid out in President Obama's 2010 budget, just one has more to do with patients than with providers or insurers: "Investing in prevention and wellness."

Addressing Your Questions from the Early Childhood Webinar

Tue, 18 Aug 2009 19:55:00 GMT

The Commission's July 24 webinar, "A Focus on Starting Early," generated many questions from participants that did not fit into the allotted time for Q&A. We have compiled these questions and answered them below, providing links and additional resources wherever possible.

August 4 Webinar: Creating Healthy Communities

Tue, 18 Aug 2009 13:43:00 GMT

Thanks to all who joined the August 4 webinar focusing on the Commission’s recommendations related to creating healthy communities. For information about the other Commission webinars, visit the events section here.

More than 100 Healthy Schools Honored by the Alliance for a Healthier Generation

Thu, 06 Aug 2009 18:20:00 GMT

President Bill Clinton, founder of the William J. Clinton Foundation, today joined Dr. Clyde Yancy, president of the American Heart Association and Dr. Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, at the Fourth Annual Healthy Schools Program Forum in New York to honor 114 schools from across the nation that are transforming into healthier places for students to learn and staff to work by implement policies and practices to promote healthy eating and increase physical activity.

Guest Response: Looking Beyond the CBO's 10-Year Window for a Return on Health Investments

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 22:40:00 GMT

Dr. Marks’ comments strike a personally resonant chord. As a family physician, all my medical training and years in practice centered on a view of patients in the context not only of their families and communities but of their own life courses. “The child is father to the man.” We become who we are as adults and as we age, based to an important extent on who we were as children.

Guest Post: What If Benjamin Franklin Ran the Congressional Budget Office?

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 22:28:00 GMT

Benjamin Franklin once famously remarked, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." Unfortunately, what this means is often, according to the CBO, an ounce of prevention isn't worth anything at all.

The Huffington Post: What If Benjamin Franklin Ran the Congressional Budget Office?

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 18:02:00 GMT

National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE): New Report Calls for Comprehensive School Obesity Prevention Policies

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 19:54:00 GMT

Policymakers, educators, health professionals and parents working to curb the pandemic of childhood obesity now have a new tool at their disposal. Preventing Childhood Obesity: A School Health Policy Guide, distills volumes of the most recent developments in the field into an easy-to-access policy brief essential for education decisionmakers.

Prevention Matters Podcast: David Williams Discusses How Commission Recommendations Can Improve America's Health

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 19:03:00 GMT

What makes Americans sick, and how can we keep them healthy? The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation established a panel of distinguished experts - the Commission to Build a Healthier America - to explore these fundamental but complex questions. Dr. David R. Williams, a professor at the Harvard School of Public Health, discusses the commission's findings and how they impact every segment of society.

Washington Post: Harlem Program Singled Out as Model

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 15:08:00 GMT

The Harlem Children's Zone Promise Academy, a nonprofit organization aimed at improving the lives of Harlem youth, is being used as a template for President Obama's Promise Neighborhoods program.

July 24 Webinar: A Focus on Starting Early

Fri, 31 Jul 2009 13:27:00 GMT

Thanks to all who joined Friday's webinar, "A Focus on Starting Early." This page features the audio recording and accompanying slides from the discussion. Sign up here to be notified about the next two webinars in this three-part series on the Commission's recommendations.

Early Childhood Webinar Recording and Slides Now Available

Mon, 27 Jul 2009 20:10:00 GMT

The audio recording and accompanying slides from Friday's webinar, "A Focus on Starting Early," are now available. Listen now and sign up to be notified about the next two webinars on the Commission's recommendations.

Real Progress, 30 Years in the Making

Mon, 27 Jul 2009 18:43:00 GMT

I attended an event yesterday that was more than 30 years in the making. As I looked around the White House Office of Urban Affairs listening tour meeting at a packed Philadelphia warehouse space and saw low-income residents and local leaders mingling with some of our nation’s most powerful people (including two cabinet secretaries!), I thought back on where the fight for equitable access to healthy food started for me.

Guest Post: Air Pollutants During Pregnancy Limit Children's Ability to Grow up Healthy

Fri, 24 Jul 2009 13:39:00 GMT

A ground-breaking – and disturbing – new study has added to the already massive accumulation of evidence that where we live is one of the most important influences on our health as well as our life chances overall. The study, just published in the August issue of Pediatrics, found that the IQs of young children were significantly lowered by the exposure of their mothers to urban air pollutants during pregnancy.

USA Today: Experts: Government changes to environment can make us fit

Thu, 23 Jul 2009 14:36:00 GMT

You drive to the office, sit at a computer all day, drive home and then park yourself on the couch. If that's your life, leading obesity experts say, the government should be changing your environment and making it possible for you to become more active.

Tracy Orleans

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 16:34:00 GMT

Tracy Orleans

Guest Post: HUD Calls for Non-Smoking Policies in Public Housing Units

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 16:34:00 GMT

In a notice released on Friday, HUD strongly encouraged Public Housing Authorities to prohibit smoking in all public housing to improve the health of residents and reduce smoking-related fires. The measure follows the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act that President Obama signed at the end of June.

Child Trends: Achievement Gap Begins Early: Study Finds Disparities in Child Outcomes Among Infants

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 16:24:00 GMT

A new Child Trends study commissioned by the Council of Chief State School Officers finds disparities between poor, at-risk children and more advantaged children as early as 9 months of age--extending prior research that primarily focuses on disparities at kindergarten entry and beyond.

Robin Mockenhaupt

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 15:24:00 GMT

Robin Mockenhaupt

Guest Post: Using Health Impact Assessments to Transform Health in America

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 15:24:00 GMT

According to a commentary in the most recent JAMA, Health Impact Assessments can be used to examine the effects that a policy or program might have on the health of a population. Can they be used to help transform the health of America? Absolutely.

The Future of America’s Cities: Making Fresh Food Available to All

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 13:40:00 GMT

We’re excited to say that The Food Trust, which the Commission highlighted at its field hearing in Philadelphia and included in its final recommendations as a model for providing nutritious foods to underserved urban areas, will be featured as a panelist in the Obama Administration’s “National Conversation on the Future of Urban and Metropolitan America.”

Dept. of Education and HHS Outline Agenda for Early Education

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 19:56:00 GMT

Today, Education Secretary Arne Duncan and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius highlighted the Obama Administration's blueprint to improve and strengthen early learning programs, and announced their support for efforts in Congress to answer the President's challenge to invest $10 billion in the Administration's early learning reforms.

Idaho Education Association: Investing in Education Reaps Life-Long Benefits

Tue, 14 Jul 2009 13:40:00 GMT

American adults with the least education have the worst health, according to recent report released by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Commission to Build a Healthier America. Almost half of U.S. adults ages 25 to 74 reported being in less than very good health, and levels of health differ depending on levels of education.

Statement from RWJF on the New Surgeon General of the United States

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 21:53:00 GMT

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation congratulates former trustee, Regina Benjamin, M.D., M.B.A., on being nominated for Surgeon General of the United States.

Fact Sheet: Improving the Health of All Americans through Safe and Healthy Housing

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 21:00:00 GMT

Poor quality and inadequate housing contributes to health problems such as infectious and chronic diseases, injuries and inadequate childhood development.

Fact Sheet: Improving the Health of All Americans by Focusing on the Early Years of Life

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 21:00:00 GMT

Deficits in brain, cognitive and behavioral development early in life are strongly linked to important health outcomes later in life, including cardiovascular disease and stroke, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, smoking, drug use and depression.

Massachusetts: On the Same Health Care Page

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 17:54:00 GMT

We are not alone. While our Commission to Build a Healthier America was studying alternatives to expensive medical care to improve the health of our citizens, so, too, was the New England Healthcare Institute (NEHI) with funding from The Boston Foundation.

Americans Reject “Sick Care," Favor Keeping People Healthy in the First Place

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 22:27:00 GMT

Last month, David R. Williams wrote a post on this blog that described the growing momentum around prevention and wellness among the leaders of health reform. Now, a new study from Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research and Public Opinion Strategies demonstrates that the American people also recognize the importance of prevention.

A Mom's Education, A Baby's Chances of Survival

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 22:10:00 GMT

Babies born to mothers who did not finish high school are nearly twice as likely to die before their first birthdays as babies born to college graduates.

Parents' Income, A Child's Chances for Health

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 22:10:00 GMT

Children in poor families are about seven times as likely to be in poor or fair health as children in the highest-income families.

Parents' Education, A Child's Chances for Health

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 22:10:00 GMT

Children whose parents have not finished high school are over six times as likely to be in poor or fair health as children whose parents are college graduates.

Staff

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 22:10:00 GMT

Staff

More Child Poverty in America

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 22:09:00 GMT

The U.S. has higher rates of child poverty than many other countries. In 2000, one-fifth of American children were poor—a proportion that was nine times higher than in Denmark.

Losing Ground in Health: Infant Mortality

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 22:09:00 GMT

We are losing ground among industrialized countries with respect to important health indicators: Our ranking for infant mortality (IMR) has slipped from 18th in 1980 to 25th in 2002.

Persistent Gaps in Health Behaviors: Physical Activity

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 22:09:00 GMT

Education disparities in physical inactivity among adults—with lower educational attainment corresponding to higher proportions of physical inactivity—have persisted over time. The gaps do not appear to be narrowing.

Persistent Gaps in Health Behaviors: Smoking

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 22:09:00 GMT

Education disparities in cigarette smoking have persisted over decades, and the gaps between college graduates and those with less education appear to have widened.

Commission Releases Recommendations

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 20:12:00 GMT

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Commission to Build a Healthier America today urged all Americans to make healthier choices and society to help remove the obstacles so many people face in making those choices, issuing 10 cross-cutting recommendations for improving the nation’s health.

NJ Voices: Tobacco Regulation is a Step Toward Better Health Care

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 15:09:00 GMT

By Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, NJVoices guest blogger. As I watched President Obama sign the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act in the White House Rose Garden, I shared a deep feeling of pride with many public health champions on hand for the ceremony and hundreds of others who fought long and hard for this moment. I also see a roadmap for what prevention can do for health reform.

Guest Post: F as in Fat

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 20:25:00 GMT

Yesterday I was involved in the RWJF and the Trust for America’s Health release of our annual F as in Fat report on obesity in the United States. This year’s findings were particularly interesting.

Robert J. Gould and Corinne G. Husten

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 22:32:00 GMT

Robert J. Gould and Corinne G. Husten

Guest Post: Asking the Right Questions About Prevention

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 22:32:00 GMT

When the answer is that living longer is a problem, you know you’re asking the wrong question. The Congressional Budget Office recently issued a memo identifying areas where Congress could save money in a health reform bill. When it came to disease prevention and health promotion, the logic in its response was troubling.

Risa Lavizzo-Mourey

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 20:13:00 GMT

Risa Lavizzo-Mourey

RWJF Priorities Intersect with the Commission's Recommendations

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 20:12:00 GMT

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Commission to Build a Healthier America just completed a yearlong study and issued 10 recommendations for improving the health of all Americans. I was struck by how many of its suggestions matched our strategies for preventing childhood obesity.

D.C. Region Health Check Up: Wide Differences Based on Location

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 17:25:00 GMT

A new report detailing the health of residents in the Washington region shows where you live in the area could add or subtract nearly 10 years from your life. The Washington Council of Governments released a joint report detailing the connection between where someone lives in the region and the quality of their health.

Beyond Health Care: New Directions to a Healthier America

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 21:04:00 GMT

This Commission report, Beyond Health Care: New Directions to a Healthier America, describes the Commission's work and provides recommendations for moving forward to ensure all Americans have an opportunity to lead healthier lives.

Washington Post: Ky. Schools' Healthy Example Could Shape a National Policy

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 19:31:00 GMT

As Congress moves to reauthorize childhood nutrition programs this summer, it is again taking up the issue of whether sugary sodas, chips and candy should be allowed in schools. Legislators have tried to limit junk food in schools since 1994. But each time the measures were blocked by powerful food lobbies, and conventional wisdom has long held that such snacks are a necessary evil because they provide key revenue to supplement the federal school-lunch program and help pay for sports and arts programs.

Eight Signs that Wellness and Prevention have become Health Reform Priorities

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 19:31:00 GMT

The Commission has been studying prevention, wellness, and the broader factors that influence good health for nearly two years. And as the health care reform debate has heated up over the last few weeks, we’ve seen eight signs that health reformers and leaders from all sectors are starting to get the message that there’s more to health than health care.

Sen. Harkin Op-Ed: Shifting America from sick care to genuine wellness

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 19:30:00 GMT

With the Senate health committee convening daily to craft a comprehensive health reform bill, the basic outline of this landmark legislation is now clear. Yes, it will ensure access to affordable, quality care for every American. But, just as important, it will hold down health care costs by creating a sharp new emphasis on disease prevention and public health.

Statement from PolicyLink and The Food Trust on USDA Food Desert Study

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:33:00 GMT

“Improving access to grocery stores in both urban and rural communities must be part of our national strategy to improve children’s health and prevent obesity and diabetes. The Pennsylvania Fresh Food Financing Initiative has demonstrated that supermarkets can thrive in food deserts and offers a strong model for solving this problem nationally. Expanding this program is one of the Top Ten recommendations of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Commission To Build a Healthier America.”

USDA Report to Congress: Access to Affordable and Nutritious Food—Measuring and Understanding Food Deserts and Their Consequences

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:28:00 GMT

The report summarizes findings of a national-level assessment of the extent and characteristics of food deserts, analysis of the consequences of food deserts, lessons learned from related Federal programs, and a discussion of policy options for alleviating the effects of food deserts. Overall, findings show that a small percentage of consumers are constrained in their ability to access affordable nutritious food because they live far from a supermarket or large grocery store and do not have easy access to transportation.

GOVERNING: Diplomas Keep the Doctor Away

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 21:55:00 GMT

Last September, I wrote a column about a handful of academics who used a series of charts, graphs and yield curves to show that education plays a key role in one’s ability to make use of health care. What the academics found was that a longer life span was connected to a college degree. Now, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is taking the academic theories one step further. It has looked at research data and found that there’s a direct link between a person’s health and the level of education attained. In short, the higher your degree, the healthier you are. And the conclusions don’t rest on a national snapshot. They look at the link between education and health in every state.

The American Prospect: Wealth-Care Reform

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 22:00:00 GMT

Our health is not determined by what happens inside a hospital ward or a doctor's office. It is determined, as the Robert Wood Johnson report puts it, by "where people live, learn, work and play." We are making health decisions when we choose whether to walk or drive to work, when we fill our bags at the supermarket, when we enroll our children in early-childhood education programs. None of these is specifically a "health care" moment, but in the aggregate, they add up to the state of being we call "health."

Start Thinking Outside the Doctor's Office

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 18:58:00 GMT

As a contributor to The Washington Post’s Health Care Rx blog, I was asked to respond to President Obama’s health reform speech to the American Medical Association this week. In my response, “Start Thinking Outside the Doctor’s Office,” I challenge us all to think big about health reform and to consider the connection between our health and the places we live.

Altarum Institute: Health Is Not Just About Health Care

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 19:11:00 GMT

Following an excellent lunch discussion at the Altarum Institute about the social factors that affect health, I put together a guest post for their Online Health Policy Forum. I encourage you to take a look at my post and join the discussion that is underway.

New York Times: With a Little Help, Greens Come to Low-Income Neighborhoods

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 16:10:00 GMT

Until a clean and airy ShopRite opened a year ago in Parkside, her low-income west Philadelphia neighborhood, Christine Gilliard used to pay someone to drive her several miles to the closest supermarket so she could avoid a long bus ride. Now she can walk to the new 69,700-square-foot store as often as she likes.

Washington Post: Young Eaters Mind Their Peas & Cues

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 16:07:00 GMT

"This gorgeous, bountiful garden has given us a chance to not just have some fun -- and we've had a lot of it -- but to shed some light on the important food and nutrition issues that we need to address as a nation," she told [the students] yesterday from a lectern in the First Lady's Garden. "I want you to continue to be my little ambassadors in your own home and your own communities."

EPA, DOT and HUD Announce Interagency Partnership for Sustainable Communities

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 20:03:00 GMT

"Creating livable communities will result in improved quality of life for all Americans and create a more efficient and more accessible transportation network that services the needs of individual communities. Fostering the concept of livability in transportation projects and programs will help America’s neighborhoods become safer, healthier and more vibrant," said DOT Secretary Ray LaHood.

Grantmakers in Health: Risa Lavizzo-Mourey on the Commission and Expanding the Circle of Allies

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:22:00 GMT

Views from the Field: Many of us have been investigating and working to reduce health disparities for decades. And we have seen the trend lines like writing on the wall. An equation of the health decisions we each make, plus the environment in which we make them, has added up to a nation where we are not nearly as healthy as we could be.

U.S. Surgeon General Report: Healthy Houses Can Lead to Healthier Lives

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 17:15:00 GMT

Ron Sims understands the significance a home can have in a person’s life. When it was time to move to Washington, D.C. to join the new Administration – he is Obama’s pick for Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Development (HUD) – his wife and kids decided not to leave Seattle. Their home, he says, was simply too important.

Politico: Barack Obama Says Shape Up Now

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 19:16:00 GMT

Any health care reform plan that Obama signs is almost certain to call for nutrition counseling, obesity screenings and wellness programs at workplaces and community centers. He wants more time in the school day for physical fitness, more nutritious school lunches and more bike paths, walking paths and grocery stores in underserved areas.

Acting Surgeon General Issues ‘Call to Action To Promote Healthy Homes’

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 16:53:00 GMT

Acting Surgeon General Steven K. Galson, M.D., M.P.H. today issued The Surgeon General’s Call to Action To Promote Healthy Homes at a press conference from the National Building Museum in Washington D.C. The Call to Action looks at the ways housing can affect health; its release will initiate a national dialogue about the importance of healthy homes.

Commission Holds Second Hearing in Philadelphia

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 16:02:00 GMT

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Commission to Build a Healthier America holds second public hearing focused on how physical and social conditions impact health

Commission Holds First Field Hearing in N.C.

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 15:56:00 GMT

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Commission to Build a Healthier America held its first public hearing in Raleigh, N.C. on June 12 to investigate the links between early childhood development and health. Read panelist testimony, view the latest story on two N.C. families, download the N.C. life expectancy map, watch the webcast and more here.

Commission Holds Third Hearing in Denver

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 13:43:00 GMT

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Commission to Build a Healthier America Holds Third Public Hearing Focused on How Work and the Workplace Impact Health

Prevention Matters: Stopping Sickness Before it Starts

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 17:24:00 GMT

When Prevention Matters, the blog for Partnership for Prevention, asked that I write a guest post about the Commission’s recommendations, I gladly accepted the opportunity.

The Early ED Watch Blog: An Unexpected Champion of Early Education: Former Sen. Bill Frist

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 14:47:00 GMT

You might not immediately associate former Sen. Bill Frist -- the former Republican majority leader and transplant surgeon -- with calls for more spending on high-quality childcare and early education opportunities. But at a forum on health policy earlier this month, his dedication to these issues was unmistakable.

Leading School Food Service Company Pledges to Fight Childhood Obesity

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 14:03:00 GMT

Sodexo, a leading food and facilities management services company and a leader in student nutrition, today is the first food service provider to sign on to the Alliance for a Healthier Generation's School Beverage and Competitive Food Guidelines. The guidelines were created to improve the nutritional quality of school snack foods and beverages, allowing more nutritious and less caloric options during the school day.

Washington Post: A Fresh Break For the Needy; Market Vouchers Aid Families on Assistance

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 14:03:00 GMT

Holyoke is not the kind of place where you'd expect to find a thriving farmers market. The western Massachusetts city is one of the poorest in the country, with high rates of diabetes, obesity and heart disease. But the Thursday market is busy and growing. And new revenues come from an unlikely demographic: families on federal food assistance.

New York Times: Getting Healthy, With a Little Help From the Boss

Fri, 22 May 2009 18:02:00 GMT

Get ready to get well. Boss’s orders. Once upon a time, corporations offered generous health benefits as a way to woo employees into their ranks. Now, most companies have turned from amorous suitors into stern parents — shifting more costs, and more responsibilities, to their employees.

TIME: More Companies Are Paying Workers to Stay Healthy

Thu, 21 May 2009 20:24:00 GMT

If you're like most people, you probably have a mile-long to-do list that includes items such as "Get blood pressure and cholesterol checked" and "Start walking 20 minutes per day." Who knows when you'll get around to all that? But if your employer offered to pay you cold, hard cash for taking better care of yourself, you'd probably start right now.

Commission Featured at Alliance for Health Reform Briefing

Wed, 20 May 2009 18:59:00 GMT

How much of Americans’ overall health is related non-health care factors? Which factors are most important for good health? What policy changes could provide more opportunities for people to make healthy choices? Members of the Commission addressed these questions at a briefing hosted by the Alliance for Health Reform on May 15. Videos and a podcast of the event are available to be downloaded.

Paula Braveman

Wed, 20 May 2009 15:37:00 GMT

Paula Braveman

Health Reform – We Need to Widen the Lens

Wed, 20 May 2009 15:37:00 GMT

We need health reform in the United States, and we need it quickly. There is wide consensus about the need for change, but are we likely to achieve a healthier America solely through the approaches to health reform now on the table?

New York Times: Letters: After the Great Recession

Mon, 18 May 2009 18:58:00 GMT

President Obama makes a strong case for education as the ticket to getting good jobs and securing the economic future of the nation’s middle class. Here’s another good reason: More education translates to better health. A new report from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Commission to Build a Healthier America demonstrates that people with more education are healthier.

Losing Your Job May be Hazardous to Your Health

Wed, 13 May 2009 23:04:00 GMT

On Friday, the Labor Department announced that the U.S. unemployment rate hit 8.9 percent in April – the highest level since September 1983. For Americans struggling to make their mortgage payments or searching for work, the financial impact is clear. What may be overlooked, however, is the effect of losing a job on a person’s health.

New York Times: Unemployment May Be Hazardous to Your Health

Fri, 08 May 2009 20:25:00 GMT

Even as the U.S. Labor Department released figures showing that the economy lost more than half a million jobs in April, researchers on Friday made public a large study with an unsettling finding: Losing your job may make you sick.

San Francisco Chronicle: California's residents don't feel so good

Fri, 08 May 2009 16:28:00 GMT

If states were graded on health status, California would flunk. A report released today looking at the connection between health status and education found that California ranked 39th of all states based on the nearly 48 percent of adults who described themselves in "less than very good health."

The Denver Post: Study: Education yields health

Fri, 08 May 2009 16:28:00 GMT

Good health depends on education, according to a new study that shows wide health disparity between college-educated Coloradans and those who didn't finish high school.

WebMD: More Education, Better Health

Fri, 08 May 2009 16:28:00 GMT

Going back to school may belong on your to-do list for good health, because better health tends to go along with more education, a new report says.

VIDEO: Watch the Education Calculator in Action

Wed, 06 May 2009 20:15:00 GMT

In conjunction with today’s release of the Commission’s new chartbook, the Commission developed the Education and Health calculator to show the impact of education has on the well-being of communities across the country. In every state and in most counties, users can see how residents' health would be different if education levels there were higher - or lower.

Commission Releases New State-By-State Report Showing Health Strongly Linked to Education

Wed, 06 May 2009 11:20:00 GMT

Across the country and in every state, adults with less education are more likely to be in less than very good health than college graduates, and adults in every state fall far short of the level of good health that should be achievable for all Americans, says a new report released today by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Commission to Build a Healthier America.

United States: Social Factors Affecting Adult Health

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:05:00 GMT

In the United States, health among adults is powerfully linked with social factors such as household income, educational attainment and racial or ethnic group.

United States: Gaps in Adult Health Status

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:05:00 GMT

In the nation overall, adult health status varies both by level of educational attainment and by racial or ethnic group.

Education Is Linked With Health Regardless of Racial or Ethnic Group

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:05:00 GMT

Differences in adult health status by education do not simply reflect differences by racial or ethnic group. Both educational attainment and racial or ethnic group matter.

Health-Related Behaviors and Education Both Affect Health

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:05:00 GMT

Differences in adult health status are evident not only across racial or ethnic groups, but also with respect to individuals' health-related behaviors. At every level of educational attainment, adults who do not smoke and get leisure-time physical exercise are less likely to be in less than very good health than adults without these healthy behaviors.

Gaps in Adult Health Status by Level of Education: How Do States Compare?

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:05:00 GMT

Comparing states based on the size of the gap in adult health status by education tells us that Americans are not as healthy as they could be, both nationally and in every state.

Gaps in Adult Health Status by Level of Education: How Do States Compare?

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:05:00 GMT

Comparing states based on the size of the gap in adult health status by education tells us that Americans are not as healthy as they could be, both nationally and in every state.

Gaps in Adult Health Status by Level of Education: How Do States Compare?

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:05:00 GMT

Although the size of the state-level gap in adult health status varies markedly across the United States, adults in every state could be healthier.

Washington: Gaps in Adult Health Status

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:02:00 GMT

In Washington adult health status varies by level of educational attainment and by racial or ethnic group. Adults in less-advantaged groups typically experience worse health than those with greater advantages, but--at every educational level and in every racial or ethnic group--adults in Washington are not as healthy as they could be.

West Virginia: Social Factors Affecting Adult Health

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:02:00 GMT

Health among adults is powerfully linked with social factors including household income, educational attainment and racial or ethnic group. View distributions of these three factors among adults in West Virginia.

West Virginia: Gaps in Adult Health Status

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:02:00 GMT

In West Virginia adult health status varies by level of educational attainment. Adults in less-advantaged groups typically experience worse health than those with greater advantages, but--at every educational level and in every racial or ethnic group--adults in West Virginia are not as healthy as they could be.

Wisconsin: Social Factors Affecting Adult Health

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:02:00 GMT

Wisconsin: Gaps in Adult Health Status

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:02:00 GMT

In Wisconsin adult health status varies by level of educational attainment and by racial or ethnic group. Adults in less-advantaged groups typically experience worse health than those with greater advantages, but--at every educational level and in every racial or ethnic group--adults in Wisconsin are not as healthy as they could be.

Wyoming: Social Factors Affecting Adult Health

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:02:00 GMT

Wyoming: Gaps in Adult Health Status

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:02:00 GMT

In Wyoming adult health status varies by level of educational attainment and by racial or ethnic group. Adults in less-advantaged groups typically experience worse health than those with greater advantages, but--at every educational level and in every racial or ethnic group--adults in Wyoming are not as healthy as they could be.

Louisiana: Social Factors Affecting Adult Health

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:01:00 GMT

Louisiana: Gaps in Adult Health Status

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:01:00 GMT

In Louisiana, adult health status varies by level of educational attainment and by racial or ethnic group. Adults in less-advantaged groups typically experience worse health than those with greater advantages, but--at every educational level and in every racial or ethnic group--adults in Louisiana are not as healthy as they could be.

Maine: Social Factors Affecting Adult Health

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:01:00 GMT

Maine: Gaps in Adult Health Status

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:01:00 GMT

In Maine, adult health status varies by level of educational attainment and by racial or ethnic group. Adults in less-advantaged groups typically experience worse health than those with greater advantages, but--at every educational level and in every racial or ethnic group--adults in Maine are not as healthy as they could be.

Maryland: Social Factors Affecting Adult Health

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:01:00 GMT

Maryland: Gaps in Adult Health Status

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:01:00 GMT

In Maryland, adult health status varies by level of educational attainment and by racial or ethnic group. Adults in less-advantaged groups typically experience worse health than those with greater advantages, but--at every educational level and in every racial or ethnic group--adults in Maryland are not as healthy as they could be.

Massachusetts: Social Factors Affecting Adult Health

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:01:00 GMT

Massachusetts: Gaps in Adult Health Status

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:01:00 GMT

In Massachusetts, adult health status varies by level of educational attainment and by racial or ethnic group. Adults in less-advantaged groups typically experience worse health than those with greater advantages, but--at every educational level and in every racial or ethnic group--adults in Massachusetts are not as healthy as they could be.

Michigan: Social Factors Affecting Adult Health

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:01:00 GMT

Michigan: Gaps in Adult Health Status

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:01:00 GMT

In Michigan, adult health status varies by level of educational attainment and by racial or ethnic group. Adults in less-advantaged groups typically experience worse health than those with greater advantages, but--at every educational level and in every racial or ethnic group--adults in Michigan are not as healthy as they could be.

Minnesota: Social Factors Affecting Adult Health

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:01:00 GMT

Minnesota: Gaps in Adult Health Status

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:01:00 GMT

In Minnesota, adult health status varies by level of educational attainment and by racial or ethnic group. Adults in less-advantaged groups typically experience worse health than those with greater advantages, but--at every educational level and in every racial or ethnic group--adults in Minnesota are not as healthy as they could be.

Mississippi: Social Factors Affecting Adult Health

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:01:00 GMT

Mississippi: Gaps in Adult Health Status

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:01:00 GMT

In Mississippi, adult health status varies by level of educational attainment and by racial or ethnic group. Adults in less-advantaged groups typically experience worse health than those with greater advantages, but--at every educational level and in every racial or ethnic group--adults in Mississippi are not as healthy as they could be.

Missouri: Social Factors Affecting Adult Health

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:01:00 GMT

Missouri: Gaps in Adult Health Status

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:01:00 GMT

In Missouri adult health status varies by level of educational attainment and by racial or ethnic group. Adults in less-advantaged groups typically experience worse health than those with greater advantages, but--at every educational level and in every racial or ethnic group--adults in Missouri are not as healthy as they could be.

Montana: Social Factors Affecting Adult Health

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:01:00 GMT

Montana: Gaps in Adult Health Status

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:01:00 GMT

In Montana adult health status varies by level of educational attainment and by racial or ethnic group. Adults in less-advantaged groups typically experience worse health than those with greater advantages, but--at every educational level and in every racial or ethnic group--adults in Montana are not as healthy as they could be.

Nebraska: Social Factors Affecting Adult Health

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:01:00 GMT

Nebraska: Gaps in Adult Health Status

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:01:00 GMT

In Nebraska adult health status varies by level of educational attainment and by racial or ethnic group. Adults in less-advantaged groups typically experience worse health than those with greater advantages, but--at every educational level and in every racial or ethnic group--adults in Nebraska are not as healthy as they could be.

Nevada: Social Factors Affecting Adult Health

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:01:00 GMT

Nevada: Gaps in Adult Health Status

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:01:00 GMT

In Nevada adult health status varies by level of educational attainment and by racial or ethnic group. Adults in less-advantaged groups typically experience worse health than those with greater advantages, but--at every educational level and in every racial or ethnic group--adults in Nevada are not as healthy as they could be.

New Hampshire: Social Factors Affecting Adult Health

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:01:00 GMT

New Hampshire: Gaps in Adult Health Status

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:01:00 GMT

In New Hampshire adult health status varies by level of educational attainment and by racial or ethnic group. Adults in less-advantaged groups typically experience worse health than those with greater advantages, but--at every educational level and in every racial or ethnic group--adults in New Hampshire are not as healthy as they could be.

New Jersey: Social Factors Affecting Adult Health

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:01:00 GMT

New Jersey: Gaps in Adult Health Status

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:01:00 GMT

In New Jersey adult health status varies by level of educational attainment and by racial or ethnic group. Adults in less-advantaged groups typically experience worse health than those with greater advantages, but--at every educational level and in every racial or ethnic group--adults in New Jersey are not as healthy as they could be.

New Mexico: Social Factors Affecting Adult Health

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:01:00 GMT

New Mexico: Gaps in Adult Health Status

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:01:00 GMT

In New Mexico adult health status varies by level of educational attainment and by racial or ethnic group. Adults in less-advantaged groups typically experience worse health than those with greater advantages, but--at every educational level and in every racial or ethnic group--adults in New Mexico are not as healthy as they could be.

New York: Social Factors Affecting Adult Health

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:01:00 GMT

New York: Gaps in Adult Health Status

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:01:00 GMT

In New York, adult health status varies by level of educational attainment and by racial or ethnic group. Adults in less-advantaged groups typically experience worse health than those with greater advantages, but--at every educational level and in every racial or ethnic group--adults in New York are not as healthy as they could be.

North Carolina: Social Factors Affecting Adult Health

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:01:00 GMT

North Carolina: Gaps in Adult Health Status

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:01:00 GMT

In North Carolina adult health status varies by level of educational attainment and by racial or ethnic group. Adults in less-advantaged groups typically experience worse health than those with greater advantages, but--at every educational level and in every racial or ethnic group--adults in North Carolina are not as healthy as they could be.

North Dakota: Social Factors Affecting Adult Health

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:01:00 GMT

North Dakota: Gaps in Adult Health Status

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:01:00 GMT

In North Dakota adult health status varies by level of educational attainment and by racial or ethnic group. Adults in less-advantaged groups typically experience worse health than those with greater advantages, but--at every educational level and in every racial or ethnic group--adults in North Dakota are not as healthy as they could be.

Ohio: Social Factors Affecting Adult Health

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:01:00 GMT

Ohio: Gaps in Adult Health Status

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:01:00 GMT

In Ohio adult health status varies by level of educational attainment and by racial or ethnic group. Adults in less-advantaged groups typically experience worse health than those with greater advantages, but--at every educational level and in every racial or ethnic group--adults in Ohio are not as healthy as they could be.

Oklahoma: Social Factors Affecting Adult Health

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:01:00 GMT

Oklahoma: Gaps in Adult Health Status

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:01:00 GMT

In Oklahoma adult health status varies by level of educational attainment and by racial or ethnic group. Adults in less-advantaged groups typically experience worse health than those with greater advantages, but--at every educational level and in every racial or ethnic group--adults in Oklahoma are not as healthy as they could be.

Oregon: Social Factors Affecting Adult Health

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:01:00 GMT

Oregon: Gaps in Adult Health Status

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:01:00 GMT

In Oregon adult health status varies by level of educational attainment and by racial or ethnic group. Adults in less-advantaged groups typically experience worse health than those with greater advantages, but--at every educational level and in every racial or ethnic group--adults in Oregon are not as healthy as they could be.

Pennsylvania: Social Factors Affecting Adult Health

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:01:00 GMT

Pennsylvania: Gaps in Adult Health Status

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:01:00 GMT

In Pennsylvania adult health status varies by level of educational attainment and by racial or ethnic group. Adults in less-advantaged groups typically experience worse health than those with greater advantages, but--at every educational level and in every racial or ethnic group--adults in Pennsylvania are not as healthy as they could be.

Rhode Island: Social Factors Affecting Adult Health

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:01:00 GMT

Rhode Island: Gaps in Adult Health Status

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:01:00 GMT

In Rhode Island adult health status varies by level of educational attainment and by racial or ethnic group. Adults in less-advantaged groups typically experience worse health than those with greater advantages, but--at every educational level and in every racial or ethnic group--adults in Rhode Island are not as healthy as they could be.

South Carolina: Social Factors Affecting Adult Health

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:01:00 GMT

South Carolina: Gaps in Adult Health Status

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:01:00 GMT

In South Carolina adult health status varies by level of educational attainment and by racial or ethnic group. Adults in less-advantaged groups typically experience worse health than those with greater advantages, but--at every educational level and in every racial or ethnic group--adults in South Carolina are not as healthy as they could be.

South Dakota: Social Factors Affecting Adult Health

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:01:00 GMT

South Dakota: Gaps in Adult Health Status

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:01:00 GMT

In South Dakota adult health status varies by level of educational attainment and by racial or ethnic group. Adults in less-advantaged groups typically experience worse health than those with greater advantages, but--at every educational level and in every racial or ethnic group--adults in South Dakota are not as healthy as they could be.

Tennessee: Social Factors Affecting Adult Health

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:01:00 GMT

Tennessee: Gaps in Adult Health Status

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:01:00 GMT

In Tennessee adult health status varies by level of educational attainment and by racial or ethnic group. Adults in less-advantaged groups typically experience worse health than those with greater advantages, but--at every educational level and in every racial or ethnic group--adults in Tennessee are not as healthy as they could be.

Texas: Social Factors Affecting Adult Health

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:01:00 GMT

Texas: Gaps in Adult Health Status

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:01:00 GMT

In Texas adult health status varies by level of educational attainment and by racial or ethnic group. Adults in less-advantaged groups typically experience worse health than those with greater advantages, but--at every educational level and in every racial or ethnic group--adults in Texas are not as healthy as they could be.

Utah: Social Factors Affecting Adult Health

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:01:00 GMT

Utah: Gaps in Adult Health Status

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:01:00 GMT

In Utah adult health status varies by level of educational attainment and by racial or ethnic group. Adults in less-advantaged groups typically experience worse health than those with greater advantages, but--at every educational level and in every racial or ethnic group--adults in Utah are not as healthy as they could be.

Vermont: Social Factors Affecting Adult Health

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:01:00 GMT

Vermont: Gaps in Adult Health Status

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:01:00 GMT

In Vermont adult health status varies by level of educational attainment and by racial or ethnic group. Adults in less-advantaged groups typically experience worse health than those with greater advantages, but--at every educational level and in every racial or ethnic group--adults in Vermont are not as healthy as they could be.

Virginia: Social Factors Affecting Adult Health

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:01:00 GMT

Virginia: Gaps in Adult Health Status

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:01:00 GMT

In Virginia adult health status varies by level of educational attainment and by racial or ethnic group. Adults in less-advantaged groups typically experience worse health than those with greater advantages, but--at every educational level and in every racial or ethnic group--adults in Virginia are not as healthy as they could be.

Washington: Social Factors Affecting Adult Health

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:01:00 GMT

Alabama: Social Factors Affecting Adult Health

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Alabama: Gaps in Adult Health Status

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

In Alabama, adult health status varies by level of educational attainment and by racial or ethnic group. Adults in less-advantaged groups typically experience worse health than those with greater advantages, but--at every educational level and in every racial or ethnic group--adults in Alabama are not as healthy as they could be.

Alaska: Social Factors Affecting Adult Health

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Alaska: Gaps in Adult Health Status

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

In Alaska, adult health status varies by level of educational attainment and by racial or ethnic group. Adults in less-advantaged groups typically experience worse health than those with greater advantages, but--at every educational level and in every racial or ethnic group--adults in Alaska are not as healthy as they could be.

Arizona: Social Factors Affecting Adult Health

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Arizona: Gaps in Adult Health Status

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

In Arizona, adult health status varies by level of educational attainment and by racial or ethnic group. Adults in less-advantaged groups typically experience worse health than those with greater advantages, but--at every educational level and in every racial or ethnic group--adults in Arizona are not as healthy as they could be.

Arkansas: Social Factors Affecting Adult Health

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Arkansas: Gaps in Adult Health Status

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

In Arkansas, adult health status varies by level of educational attainment and by racial or ethnic group. Adults in less-advantaged groups typically experience worse health than those with greater advantages, but--at every educational level and in every racial or ethnic group--adults in Arkansas are not as healthy as they could be.

California: Social Factors Affecting Adult Health

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

California: Gaps in Adult Health Status

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

In California, adult health status varies by level of educational attainment and by racial or ethnic group. Adults in less-advantaged groups typically experience worse health than those with greater advantages, but--at every educational level and in every racial or ethnic group--adults in California are not as healthy as they could be.

Colorado: Social Factors Affecting Adult Health

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Colorado: Gaps in Adult Health Status

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

In Colorado, adult health status varies by level of educational attainment and by racial or ethnic group. Adults in less-advantaged groups typically experience worse health than those with greater advantages, but--at every educational level and in every racial or ethnic group--adults in Colorado are not as healthy as they could be.

Connecticut: Social Factors Affecting Adult Health

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Connecticut: Gaps in Adult Health Status

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

District of Columbia: Social Factors Affecting Adult Health

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

District of Columbia: Gaps in Adult Health Status

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

In the District of Columbia, adult health status varies by level of educational attainment and by racial or ethnic group. Adults in less-advantaged groups typically experience worse health than those with greater advantages, but--at every educational level and in most racial or ethnic groups--adults in the District of Columbia are not as healthy as they could be.

Delaware: Social Factors Affecting Adult Health

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Delaware: Gaps in Adult Health Status

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

In Delaware, adult health status varies by level of educational attainment and by racial or ethnic group. Adults in less-advantaged groups typically experience worse health than those with greater advantages, but--at every educational level and in every racial or ethnic group--adults in Delaware are not as healthy as they could be.

Florida: Social Factors Affecting Adult Health

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Florida: Gaps in Adult Health Status

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

In Florida, adult health status varies by level of educational attainment and by racial or ethnic group. Adults in less-advantaged groups typically experience worse health than those with greater advantages, but--at every educational level and in every racial or ethnic group--adults in Florida are not as healthy as they could be.

Georgia: Social Factors Affecting Adult Health

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Georgia: Gaps in Adult Health Status

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

In Georgia, adult health status varies by level of educational attainment and by racial or ethnic group. Adults in less-advantaged groups typically experience worse health than those with greater advantages, but--at every educational level and in every racial or ethnic group--adults in Georgia are not as healthy as they could be.

Hawaii: Social Factors Affecting Adult Health

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Hawaii: Gaps in Adult Health Status

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

In Hawaii, adult health status varies by level of educational attainment and by racial or ethnic group. Adults in less-advantaged groups typically experience worse health than those with greater advantages, but--at every educational level and in every racial or ethnic group--adults in Hawaii are not as healthy as they could be.

Idaho: Social Factors Affecting Adult Health

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Idaho: Gaps in Adult Health Status

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

In Idaho, adult health status varies by level of educational attainment and by racial or ethnic group. Adults in less-advantaged groups typically experience worse health than those with greater advantages, but--at every educational level and in every racial or ethnic group--adults in Idaho are not as healthy as they could be.

Illinois: Social Factors Affecting Adult Health

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Illinois: Gaps in Adult Health Status

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

In Illinois, adult health status varies by level of educational attainment and by racial or ethnic group. Adults in less-advantaged groups typically experience worse health than those with greater advantages, but--at every educational level and in every racial or ethnic group--adults in Illinois are not as healthy as they could be.

Indiana: Social Factors Affecting Adult Health

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Indiana: Gaps in Adult Health Status

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

In Indiana, adult health status varies by level of educational attainment and by racial or ethnic group. Adults in less-advantaged groups typically experience worse health than those with greater advantages, but--at every educational level and in every racial or ethnic group--adults in Indiana are not as healthy as they could be.

Iowa: Social Factors Affecting Adult Health

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Iowa: Gaps in Adult Health Status

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

In Iowa, adult health status varies by level of educational attainment and by racial or ethnic group. Adults in less-advantaged groups typically experience worse health than those with greater advantages, but--at every educational level and in every racial or ethnic group--adults in Iowa are not as healthy as they could be.

Kansas: Social Factors Affecting Adult Health

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Kansas: Gaps in Adult Health Status

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

In Kansas, adult health status varies by level of educational attainment and by racial or ethnic group. Adults in less-advantaged groups typically experience worse health than those with greater advantages, but--at every educational level and in every racial or ethnic group--adults in Kansas are not as healthy as they could be.

Kentucky: Social Factors Affecting Adult Health

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Kentucky: Gaps in Adult Health Status

Wed, 06 May 2009 04:00:00 GMT

In Kentucky, adult health status varies by level of educational attainment and by racial or ethnic group. Adults in less-advantaged groups typically experience worse health than those with greater advantages, but--at every educational level and in every racial or ethnic group--adults in Kentucky are not as healthy as they could be.

Commission Recommendations Call for Action Beyond Health Care Reform

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 20:52:00 GMT

Asheville Citizen-Times: County Leaders Cite Study to Focus on Health Fix

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 19:35:00 GMT

Buncombe County Health Director Gibbie Harris said she hopes to convene a health summit later this spring focusing on recommendations in the [RWJF Commission] report. “I think Buncombe County has the opportunity to be the healthiest community in the state, if not the nation,” she said.

New York Times: Selling Obesity at School (Editorial)

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 18:56:00 GMT

More must now be done to fight the childhood obesity epidemic, which has triggered a frightening spike in weight-related disorders like diabetes, high-blood pressure and heart disease among young people. And the place to start is the schools...

What Will it Take to Make Americans Healthier?

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 18:53:00 GMT

What will it take to make Americans healthier? If you think the answer is health reform, think again.

A Healthy Populace Requires More Than Medical Care

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 18:53:00 GMT

In the halls of Congress, most attention regarding our nation’s health focuses on reforming our health care system. But health and health care are not the same, and health reform alone won’t improve the health of all — or even most — Americans.

The Huffington Post: Why Your Zip Code May Be More Important to Your Health Than Your Genetic Code

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 18:23:00 GMT

By James S. Marks, RWJF. We are not a healthy country. And while health reform focuses on coverage, cost, access and care, this is simply triage to a system that fails to ask the question "Why aren't we healthier in the first place?" Our health reform debate is focusing on where health ends (with medical care) and not on where our health begins (where we live, learn, work and play).

Medical News Today: Alabama Strategic Alliance For Health Program Will Work To Create A Healthier BlackBelt/West Alabama

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 17:57:00 GMT

The state's Black Belt and West Alabama counties will receive federal funding of up to $3.9 million over the next five years through the Alabama Strategic Alliance for Health Program to help reduce chronic diseases and health disparities.

VIDEO: APHA Launches Healthiest Nation in One Generation for National Public Health Week

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 15:37:00 GMT

The American Public Health Association kicks off its National Public Health Week this week with the launch of an excellent new video campaign called "Healthiest Nation in One Generation." Watch the video here.

Guest Post: Looking Ahead

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 15:37:00 GMT

Even though NPHW 2009 has come and gone, our work is far from over. In the months ahead, APHA will work to build on the momentum of all the individuals and communities who have committed to making America the healthiest nation in one generation.

Georges C. Benjamin, MD, FACP, FACEP (E)

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 15:35:00 GMT

Georges C. Benjamin, MD, FACP, FACEP (E)

A Short Distance to Large Disparities in Health

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 15:36:00 GMT

Life span disparities reflect differences in wealth, education and environment across all community residents. The differences are even more dramatic - sometimes double - if you compare black and white residents.

Across America, Differences in How Long and How Well We Live

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 15:36:00 GMT

Where we live, work, learn and play dramatically affects our health—for better or for worse. Across America and within every state, there are differences in how long and how well we live. This map and accompanying chart show the highest and lowest life expectancy rates (based on county-level data) found in each state and the District of Columbia.

National Survey: Health Challenges in the United States

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 13:59:00 GMT

Findings on perceived health differences in America.

National Survey: Health Challenges in the United States

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 13:58:00 GMT

Findings on perceived health differences in America.

SEIU President Andy Stern's Statement on the RWJF Commission to Build a Healthier America

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 21:12:00 GMT

The Commission's report offers both policymakers and the public a definitive roadmap and a way forward to building healthier communities. Their recommendations are an extremely valuable addition to the country's healthcare reform debate, and SEIU looks forward to working with the members of the Commission, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, policymakers and other stakeholders to make these proposals a reality.

Nebraska: Governor Announces New Wellness Plan for State Government

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 21:08:00 GMT

(Lincoln, Neb.) Gov. Dave Heineman outlined a wellness program for state employees and the option to choose a health insurance plan offering better coverage for preventative health and wellness. Nebraska is one of the first states to offer state workers a comprehensive plan for health insurance designed to encourage wellness and healthy lifestyles.

LULAC Supports the Recommendations of the RWJF Commission to Build a Healthier America

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 21:08:00 GMT

LULAC is very pleased to support the recommendations of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Commission to Build a Healthier America. The members of the Commission should be applauded for helping to expand the discussion surrounding how we reform the country’s health system. In a departure from the prevailing perception, the Commission looked beyond the medical system and found that where we live, learn, work and play has a greater impact on how long and how well we live than medical care.

Building a Healthier America

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 18:17:00 GMT

America's health is failing. Despite unprecedented biomedical achievements, Americans are sicker than they should be and are dying far too young. Shockingly, our children may be the first generation in America to be less healthy and even lead shorter lives than their parents.

Mark McClellan and Alice M. Rivlin

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 18:16:00 GMT

Mark McClellan and Alice M. Rivlin

Jim Marks

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 23:31:00 GMT

Jim Marks

Guest Post: Health. It's not just one thing. It's a lot of things.

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 23:31:00 GMT

As a person who trained and practiced as a pediatrician, several careers ago, I am never going to dump on the importance of getting good health care. But at the same time, the course of my life has taught me that there are so many other things that determine how healthy a person is--and that overall, we Americans are not doing so well.

Washington Post: Schools Should Increase Exercise and Track Weight Data, Study Recommends

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 23:24:00 GMT

Local schools need to do more to get students moving and track their weight data, according to a regional survey on childhood obesity released yesterday.

VIDEO: Commissioners Discuss Final Recommendations

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 15:04:00 GMT

Today the Commission releases its recommendations and new report, Beyond Health Care: New Directions to a Healthier America. I recently sat down with RWJF President and CEO Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, my fellow Commissioner Dennis Rivera, and Staff Director David. R. Williams to discuss the recommendations and what the Commission saw over the last year.

Health Beat: “Beyond Health Care” (Part 1)

Mon, 06 Apr 2009 15:34:00 GMT

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Commission to Build a Healthier America has just released a new report: Beyond Health Care. At a time when all eyes are trained on the debate over providing access to medical care for all Americans, the report looks beyond health care, to the health of the population. As it turns out our health—public health—has less to do with health insurance than one might think.

Reuters: US experts urge health reforms in schools, cities

Fri, 03 Apr 2009 16:16:00 GMT

The government should broaden its efforts to overhaul the U.S. healthcare system to include steps that provide better access to good food and recreation, a panel of experts said on Thursday.

Issue Brief: Race and Socioeconomic Factors

Fri, 03 Apr 2009 15:50:00 GMT

To understand health disparities, it is not enough to consider only race or only socioeconomic factors. Both affect health. This issue brief focuses on disparities in health itself contrasted with the well-documented disparities in health care.

The Boston One Touch Program

Fri, 03 Apr 2009 14:21:00 GMT

The Boston One Touch Program seeks to leverage and coordinate the efforts of city and state government and community advocacy groups to improve the health of children from lower-income families.

Bethel New Life

Fri, 03 Apr 2009 14:21:00 GMT

A faith-based community development organization in the West Garfield Park neighborhood of Chicago, Bethel New Life led a transit-oriented design initiative when the Chicago Transit Authority threatened to discontinue train service through the neighborhood.

Arabia Mountain Trail

Fri, 03 Apr 2009 14:21:00 GMT

The Arabia Mountain Trail, built in an African-American community east of Atlanta, has measurably increased physical activity for residents by connecting neighborhoods, downtown and commercial areas with large nature preserves and historic sites.

Recommendations Release Event Kit

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 10:03:00 GMT

Download the complete event kit from the Commission's April 2 recommendations release.

April 2 Commission Release Event on Twitter

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 03:59:00 GMT

The April 2 release of the Commission's final recommendations won't just be accessible to those in Washington, D.C. Commission staff will be covering the event live all morning tomorrow on Twitter at the the "channel" #CBHA. See the conversation here.

Commission to Release Recommendations April 2

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 03:25:00 GMT

Save the Date: RWJF Commission to Build a Healthier America to Release Recommendations on April 2

Pennsylvania: Social Factors Affecting Children’s Health

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 22:16:00 GMT

Health during childhood is powerfully linked with social factors including the income and education levels of a child’s family and his or her racial or ethnic group. View distributions of these three factors among children in Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania: Gaps in Infant Mortality

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 22:16:00 GMT

In Pennsylvania, infant mortality rates – a key indicator of overall health – vary by mother’s education and racial or ethnic group.

Oklahoma: Gaps in Infant Mortality

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 22:15:00 GMT

In Oklahoma, infant mortality rates – a key indicator of overall health – vary by mother’s education and racial or ethnic group.

Oklahoma: Gaps in Children’s General Health Status

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 22:15:00 GMT

Within Oklahoma, children’s general health status varies by family income and education and by racial or ethnic group. Children in the least-advantaged groups typically experience the worst health, but even children in middle-class families appear to be less healthy than those with greater advantages.

Oregon: Gaps in Infant Mortality

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 22:15:00 GMT

In Oregon, infant mortality rates – a key indicator of overall health – vary by mother’s education.

Oregon: Gaps in Children’s General Health Status

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 22:15:00 GMT

Within Oregon, children’s general health status varies by family income and education and by racial or ethnic group. Children in the least-advantaged groups typically experience the worst health, but even children in middle-class families appear to be less healthy than those with greater advantages.

Oregon: Social Factors Affecting Children’s Health

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 22:14:00 GMT

Ohio: Social Factors Affecting Children’s Health

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 22:13:00 GMT

Ohio: Gaps in Infant Mortality

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 22:13:00 GMT

In Ohio, infant mortality rates – a key indicator of overall health – vary by mother’s education and racial or ethnic group.

Ohio: Gaps in Children’s General Health Status

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 22:13:00 GMT

Within Ohio, children’s general health status varies by family income and education and by racial or ethnic group. Children in the least-advantaged groups typically experience the worst health, but even children in middle-class families appear to be less healthy than those with greater advantages.

Life Expectancy: Where You Live Matters

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 22:08:00 GMT

In Wake County, home to the state capital of Raleigh, N.C., the average life expectancy is 78.1 years. In Robeson County--just three counties away--life expectancy is 6.6 years less. But early childhood development programs in North Carolina are increasing the chances of living longer and healthier lives.

Philadelphia: Where You Live Matters

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 22:07:00 GMT

Where we live dramatically affects our health—for better or for worse. Community attributes—including the availability of safe and healthy housing, access to nutritious food and safe places to exercise—can have a direct impact on our opportunity to lead long and healthy lives.

Denver: Where You Live Matters

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 22:06:00 GMT

In the Denver metropolitan area, life expectancy can vary by more than five years depending on where you live. Promising workplace programs in Colorado—designed to protect and promote workers’ health—are striving to decrease these gaps and increase people’s chances of living healthier and longer lives.

Income Is Linked With Health Regardless of Racial or Ethnic Group

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 22:04:00 GMT

For children in the United States, differences in general health status by income do not simply reflect differences by race or ethnicity. Both income and racial or ethnic group are important for health.

Rhode Island: Gaps in Children’s General Health Status

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 21:50:00 GMT

Within Rhode Island, children’s general health status varies by family income and education and by racial or ethnic group. Children in the least-advantaged groups typically experience the worst health, but even children in middle-class families appear to be less healthy than those with greater advantages.

South Carolina: Social Factors Affecting Children’s Health

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 21:50:00 GMT

Oklahoma: Social Factors Affecting Children’s Health

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 21:49:00 GMT

Pennsylvania: Gaps in Children’s General Health Status

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 21:49:00 GMT

Within Pennsylvania, children’s general health status varies by family income and education and by racial or ethnic group. Children in less-advantaged groups typically experience worse health than those with greater advantages.

Rhode Island: Social Factors Affecting Children’s Health

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 21:49:00 GMT

Rhode Island: Gaps in Infant Mortality

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 21:49:00 GMT

In Rhode Island, infant mortality rates – a key indicator of overall health – appear to vary by mother’s education and racial or ethnic group.

South Dakota: Gaps in Infant Mortality

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 21:49:00 GMT

In South Dakota, infant mortality rates – a key indicator of overall health – vary by mother’s education and racial or ethnic group.

South Carolina: Gaps in Infant Mortality

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 21:48:00 GMT

In South Carolina, infant mortality rates – a key indicator of overall health – vary by mother’s education and racial or ethnic group.

South Carolina: Gaps in Children’s General Health Status

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 21:48:00 GMT

Within South Carolina, children’s general health status varies by family income and education and by racial or ethnic group. Children in the least-advantaged groups typically experience the worst health, but even children in middle-class families appear to be less healthy than those with greater advantages.

South Dakota: Social Factors Affecting Children’s Health

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 21:48:00 GMT

South Dakota: Gaps in Children’s General Health Status

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 21:47:00 GMT

Within South Dakota, children’s general health status appears to vary by family income and education and by racial or ethnic group. Children in the least-advantaged groups typically experience the worst health, but even children in middle-class families appear to be less healthy than those with greater advantages.

Tennessee: Social Factors Affecting Children’s Health

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 21:47:00 GMT

Tennessee: Gaps in Infant Mortality

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 21:47:00 GMT

In Tennessee, infant mortality rates – a key indicator of overall health – vary by mother’s education and racial or ethnic group.

Texas: Gaps in Infant Mortality

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 21:47:00 GMT

In Texas, infant mortality rates – a key indicator of overall health – vary by mother’s education and racial or ethnic group.

Tennessee: Gaps in Children’s General Health Status

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 21:46:00 GMT

Within Tennessee, children’s general health status varies by family income and education and by racial or ethnic group. Children in the least-advantaged groups typically experience the worst health, but even children in middle-class families appear to be less healthy than those with greater advantages.

Texas: Social Factors Affecting Children’s Health

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 21:46:00 GMT

Utah: Social Factors Affecting Children’s Health

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 21:45:00 GMT

Utah: Gaps in Infant Mortality

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 21:45:00 GMT

In Utah, infant mortality rates – a key indicator of overall health – vary by mother’s education and racial or ethnic group.

Utah: Gaps in Children’s General Health Status

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 21:45:00 GMT

Within Utah, children’s general health status varies by family income and education and by racial or ethnic group. Children in the least-advantaged groups typically experience the worst health, but even children in middle-class families appear to be less healthy than those with greater advantages.

Texas: Gaps in Children’s General Health Status

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 21:44:00 GMT

Within Texas, children’s general health status varies by family income and education and by racial or ethnic group. Children in the least-advantaged groups typically experience the worst health, but even children in middle-class families are less healthy than those with greater advantages.

Gaps in Infant Mortality Rates by Mother’s Education:How Do States Compare?

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 21:36:00 GMT

Although the size of the state-level gaps in infant mortality by mother’s education varies markedly across the United States, there is unrealized health potential among babies in every state.

Gaps in Children’s General Health Status by Family Income: How Do States Compare?

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 21:36:00 GMT

Comparing states based on the size of the gap in children’s general health status by income reveals unrealized health potential among babies, both at the national level and in every state.

Gaps in Infant Mortality Rates by Mother’s Education: How Do States Compare?

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 21:32:00 GMT

Comparing states based on the size of the gap in infant mortality by mother’s education reveals unrealized health potential among babies, both at the national level and in every state.

Gaps in Children’s General Health Status by Family Income:How Do States Compare?

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 21:32:00 GMT

Although the size of the state-level gaps in children’s general health status varies markedly across the United States, there is unrealized health potential among children in every state.

United States: Gaps in Children’s General Health Status

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 21:31:00 GMT

Overall in the United States, children’s general health status varies by family income and education and by racial or ethnic group. Children in the least-advantaged groups typically experience the worst health, but even children in middle-class families are less healthy than those with greater advantages.

Health-Related Behaviors and Income Matter for Children’s Health

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 21:31:00 GMT

Differences in children’s general health status occur across social groups, but also depend on health-related behaviors in families. At every income level, children in families where someone smokes and no one exercises regularly are more likely to be in less than optimal health than their peers in families with healthier behaviors.

United States: Social Factors Affecting Children’s Health

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 21:30:00 GMT

In the United States, health during childhood is powerfully linked with social factors, including the income and education levels of a child’s family and his or her racial or ethnic group.

United States: Gaps in Infant Mortality

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 21:30:00 GMT

Infant mortality rates – a key indicator of overall health – vary by mother’s education and racial or ethnic group nationally.

Leveraging Food Policy to Improve America’s Health

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 16:16:00 GMT

This Commission has been charged with finding solutions outside the traditional health care system to improve the health of all Americans. Nutrition policy is an important place to start.

The HealthierUS School Challenge

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 16:16:00 GMT

HealthierUS is a voluntary certification process established by USDA that rates an elementary school’s nutrition environment to recognize and encourage schools’ commitments to making healthy changes.

Smoking Cessation at Wal-Mart

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 16:16:00 GMT

As part of the company’s Healthy Living initiative, Wal-Mart offered employees a smoking cessation prescription starter pack for $9.

The Edible Schoolyard

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 16:16:00 GMT

School gardens are a promising strategy to improve students’ attitude towards vegetable intake/ food preferences and increase school connectedness.

Special Farmers’ Market Nutrition Programs for Seniors, Women, Infants and Children

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 16:16:00 GMT

The program provide fresh, unprepared, locally grown fruits and vegetables to participants in supplemental food programs such as WIC or SNAP, and expands awareness of, use of and sales at farmers’ markets.

Sports4Kids

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 16:16:00 GMT

Sports4Kids, a nonprofit. public-private partnership, provides safe, healthy physical activity at low-income schools so that “every child has the chance to play.”

Marin County Safe Routes to School

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 16:16:00 GMT

In Marin County, CA, The Safe Routes to School program aims to increase the number of students walking and biking to school.

Eat Smart, Move More North Carolina

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 16:16:00 GMT

Eat Smart, Move More North Carolina is a statewide movement that promotes increased opportunities for healthy eating and physical activity wherever people live, learn, work, play and pray.

North Carolina’s STARS

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 16:16:00 GMT

In 2000, North Carolina launched the 5-Star Child Care License system (STARS) to raise awareness and help parents assess the quality of child care programs.

Sen. Bill Frist

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 15:53:00 GMT

Sen. Bill Frist

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 15:53:00 GMT

Sen. Bill Frist is a University Distinguished Professor at Vanderbilt University. He represented Tennessee in the U.S. Senate from 1995 until his retirement in 2007, serving as Majority Leader from 2003 to 2007. As a cardiothoracic transplant surgeon, Frist’s primary legislative focus was health care. He co-chairs Save the Children’s global campaign to reduce infant mortality (Survive to 5) and ONE Vote '08, a bipartisan effort to make global health a priority in the presidential election. He received a Bachelor’s Degree from Princeton University and Medical Degree from Harvard University.

Hugh Panero

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 15:53:00 GMT

Hugh Panero

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 15:53:00 GMT

Hugh Panero is a venture partner at New Enterprise Associates. He is co-founder and former president and chief executive officer of XM Satellite Radio. A business leader and media entrepreneur, Panero was a pioneer in both the cable TV and pay-per-view businesses and is credited with launching the satellite radio industry. Panero has served as chairman of the D.C. Chamber of Commerce, which honored him with the DC Business Leader of the Year Award in 2000 and is a board member on a number of nonprofit boards including The Marrow Foundation and Hope For Henry. Mr. Panero received Bachelor’s Degrees in Government and Sociology from Clark University and has a Master's Degree in Business Administration from Baruch College.

Building a Healthier America Starts with Healthy Choices in our Neighborhoods

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 01:36:00 GMT

Can Americans be truly healthy in communities overstuffed with fast-food and soda-and-chip corner stores? An important new study says, “Not likely.”

Charles Gliha

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 01:36:00 GMT

Chuck may not be a scientist or a physician but he knows firsthand that health and happiness go hand-in-hand. To him, it’s all about stepping out the front door of his house in Cleveland’s Slavic Village and having not just a sense of safety, but of well-being and fun.

VIDEO: New Commission Report Shows Shortfalls in Children's Health

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 01:34:00 GMT

Staff Director David R. Williams and James S. Marks of RWJF discuss the Commission's new report, America's Health Starts With Healthy Children: How Do States Compare?, on the shortfalls in children's health tied to parents' income and education.

Education, children's health linked

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 01:33:00 GMT

As chairman of a global drive on children's health, I devote much of my energy these days to improving the survival odds for millions of children in the developing world. It pains me to tell you that we have a lot of work to do to improve those odds for our own children here at home. And, counterintuitive though it may seem, I believe the place to start is with our education system. A good education can help lay the foundation for a healthy life.

The Farrington And Singleton Families

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 01:27:00 GMT

Beginning at even the youngest ages, the educational, social and other opportunities that children have are strongly linked to their health later in life. Although worlds apart in many respects, two North Carolina families both credit their children's experiences in the same Chapel Hill preschool with providing not only the skills in reading and writing that prepare them for kindergarten, but also the motor and social skills that are also critical for succeeding in school.

April Manzanares

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 01:27:00 GMT

When Wal-Mart rolled out its Personal Sustainability Project in 2006, it presented its employees with a challenge: What’s the one change you would make in your life to make the world a better place? April Manzanares, a Wal-Mart people manager in Broomfield, Colo., knew the answer right away. She wanted to be healthier.

Improving America’s Health is not all about Health Care

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 01:25:00 GMT

Clearly, health and the nation’s economy and overall well-being are intertwined. I have to tell you that I am frustrated by the fact that we spend so much on health care, yet so many Americans’ health falls short of what it could and should be. America is not achieving its full health potential. We can do better.

Ana Barrios and May Caudillo

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 01:24:00 GMT

It’s not easy being 11. Teachers don’t let you speak your native Spanish, older kids try to lure you into gangs and then there are those pesky siblings, prone to hogging closet space and the family laptop. Sometimes the best thing to do is just go for a run.

Laquanda Dobson and Shabazz Ransom

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 01:19:00 GMT

Healthy habits start young. That’s why Laquanda Dobson and Shabazz Ransom of West Philadelphia spend much of their free time teaching elementary schoolers how to grow, buy and cook nutritious foods.

Health Beat: Health, Education and the Welfare of the Nation

Fri, 20 Mar 2009 22:20:00 GMT

We know that health, education and poverty are linked. This is why, at one time, the U.S had a Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare. Restoring that cabinet post might go a long way toward inspiring discussion about how to approach all three simultaneously.

USA Today: 'Eat your vegetables': For kids, it means fries

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 18:20:00 GMT

Kids aren't eating enough fruits and vegetables, and when they do consume produce, they are more likely to eat french fries than nutrient-rich dark green or orange vegetables, a study shows.

HealthDay News: School Lunches Too Fatty and Sugary, Critics Say

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 18:20:00 GMT

Despite some improvements, U.S. school meal programs are still laden with unhealthy fat, salt and sugar, nutrition experts contend.

AlterNet: Why Our Greatest Health Concern Isn't Diet or Exercise -- It's Neighborhood

Tue, 03 Mar 2009 23:02:00 GMT

While we anxiously wait to hear how the Obama administration will tackle health care reform, are we missing the forest for the trees? Is it time for a complete overhaul of not just our dysfunctional system of medical insurance but what health economist Robert Evans calls our entire "repair shop" model of health?

HealthDay News: More Fast-Food Joints in Neighborhoods Mean More Strokes

Fri, 27 Feb 2009 19:10:00 GMT

Living in neighborhoods packed with fast-food joints could increase your risk for stroke by 13 percent, compared to residing in places where such restaurants are less plentiful, a new study suggests.

AP: Moving Nation from Sick Care Toward Wellness Care

Tue, 24 Feb 2009 17:15:00 GMT

Popping a pill can cut your cholesterol. But did the doctor also prescribe cutting the stress that's eroding your immune system? Or teach you how to exercise without worsening painful joints?

Submit Solutions to the Commission

Thu, 05 Feb 2009 16:33:00 GMT

Visit ideas.commissiononhealth.org to share innovative, specific policies and programs of great promise with the Commission.

Washington Post: Study Links Cleaner Air to Longer Life

Thu, 05 Feb 2009 16:32:00 GMT

Reducing air pollution has extended average life expectancy by five months for urban residents in dozens of U.S. cities over the past two decades, researchers found.

Reuters: Access to Healthy Foods Worse in Poor Areas

Thu, 05 Feb 2009 16:32:00 GMT

People who live in poorer neighborhoods in the U.S. are less likely to have easy access to supermarkets carrying a wide variety of fresh produce and other healthy food, an analysis of 54 studies confirms.

Washington Post: School Reform That Works

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 16:07:00 GMT

By Bill Gates. How many kids don't get the same chance to achieve their full potential? The number is very large. Every year, 1 million kids drop out of high school. Only 71 percent of kids graduate from high school within four years, and for minorities, the numbers are even worse -- 58 percent for Hispanics and 55 percent for African Americans.

Time: America's Health Checkup

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 20:51:00 GMT

What is the measure of a country's health? How do you take the temperature of a population that sprawls across nine time zones, 50 states and a global rainbow of cultures and communities? One way is by taking a close look at yourself.

Andrea Silva

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 20:51:00 GMT

At Centura Health at Home in Denver, Andrea Silva resolved a struggle that many new mothers face – returning to work while continuing to provide nutritious breast milk for her baby.

Denver Field Hearing Webcast Now Available

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 20:50:00 GMT

The webcast of the December 10 Commission field hearing in Denver exploring the influence of work and the workplace on the health of all Americans is now available.

Opportunities for Health in U.S. Economic Recovery Package

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 20:49:00 GMT

This country is facing many economic challenges. In this time of financial stress, however, there are opportunities for improving health for all Americans.

Unnatural Causes Wins Alfred I. duPont-Columbia Award

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 20:47:00 GMT

Helping to build the case for investments in prevention and public health is a groundbreaking documentary titled, Unnatural Causes: Is Inequality Making Us Sick? This month, the series received well-deserved recognition.

New York Times: Moving From Team Sport to Lifelong Fitness

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 16:54:00 GMT

West Babylon is one of a growing number of school districts across Long Island that have revised their physical education curriculums, moving away from team sports and skills mastery toward activities that school officials say can generate enthusiasm for lifelong fitness.

Washington Post: Targeting Obesity Alongside Hunger

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 14:17:00 GMT

The worsening economic crunch is causing the tab for food assistance programs to balloon, and with the rising costs has come an intensifying debate over whether -- and how -- the U.S. government can tackle simultaneously the paradoxically linked problems of hunger and obesity.

East Tennessean: Building a Healthier America

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 14:17:00 GMT

Dr. David Williams, the director of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Commission to Build a Healthier America, and a leading authority on the socioeconomic and racial influences and disparities in health, spoke about our nation's health at East Tennessee State University on Tuesday. In addition to the lecture, the Commission planned to travel to several communities in the region as part of a larger effort to understand the unique health issues and challenges facing Appalachia and rural communities.

Michaelene Wolff

Thu, 15 Jan 2009 17:13:00 GMT

For Wolff, an energetic and dedicated night-shift nurse, the decision to kick her “addiction” to food and start living healthy began with a simple question: “How can I educate my patients about being healthy and maintaining a good weight when I’m not doing it myself?”

New York Times: Obama Pledge Stirs Hope in Early Education

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 17:20:00 GMT

The $10 billion Mr. Obama has pledged for early childhood education would amount to the largest new federal initiative for young children since Head Start began in 1965.

Make the Stimulus Big, Smart and Fair

Mon, 12 Jan 2009 21:55:00 GMT

Don't build more car-choked highways and bridges to nowhere. Investing in jobs, transit and people will build a prosperous, inclusive America.

Corporate Wellness Insights: Safeway's Wellness Incentive Program

Fri, 09 Jan 2009 19:42:00 GMT

Safeway is betting that it pays to pay for good health. Beginning January 1, the grocery giant is giving non-union administrative employees up to $800 in rebates on health insurance premiums. The program, called Healthy Measures, rewards employees for remaining within limits on four common medical risk factors - smoking, obesity, blood pressure and cholesterol.

AMNews: The poorer the kids, the worse their health, study says

Mon, 22 Dec 2008 15:45:00 GMT

A new report by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation found substantial shortfalls in the health of the nation's children based on their family's income and education.

Commission Holds Third Hearing in Denver

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 20:16:00 GMT

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Commission to Build a Healthier America Holds Third Public Hearing Focused on How Work and the Workplace Impact Health

Field Hearing Kit: Denver

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 19:22:00 GMT

Download the event kit from the Commission's third field hearing in Denver, Colo.

Issue Brief: Work and Health

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 16:30:00 GMT

Our work affects our health in many ways – and our health affects our work. This issue brief examines how work influences our health, not only by exposing us to physical conditions that have health effects, but also by providing a setting where healthy activities and behaviors can be promoted.

Kathleen Dolezal

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 16:29:00 GMT

When it came to warding off the threat of diabetes that has plagued her family, Kathleen Dolezal got a boost from an unexpected source: her employer, the State of Nebraska.

Claudine Paris

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 16:29:00 GMT

At 71, Claudine Paris feels like a “rock star” every day she walks through the hallways of James John Elementary School in Portland, Ore., where she volunteers as a literacy tutor.

Ed Fendley

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 15:20:00 GMT

As chairman of the Arlington County School Board in the Northern Virginia suburbs, Ed Fendley touts walking and biking as good for the bottom line. Every teacher or student that passes up a ride in a car to get to school saves the district money on parking, reduces air pollution and alleviates traffic jams in front of local schools.

Norma Morales

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 15:20:00 GMT

Sometimes all it takes is one good thing, leading to another, to get on the path to healthier living. At least, that’s how Norma Morales sees it.

James Moon

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 15:20:00 GMT

Staying healthy by eating right and getting exercise has a lot to do with individual choices. But communities can help—or hinder, says James Moon, an Arlington County, Va., resident.

Reuters: Parks can cut health gap between rich and poor

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 17:20:00 GMT

Parks, playing fields and forests greatly narrow health gaps between the rich and poor, and governments should do more to promote and invest in green areas, researchers said on Friday.

Issue Brief: Housing and Health

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 19:15:00 GMT

This issue brief examines the many ways in which housing can influence health and discusses promising strategies to improve America’s health by ensuring that all Americans have healthy homes.

The Health Care Blog: Judging states by the health of their children

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 20:30:00 GMT

While having or not having health insurance is important, poverty will have an even greater influence on an individual’s health. As Commission Co-Chair and former Congressional Budget Office director Alice M. Rivlin puts it, “This report shows us just how much a child’s health is shaped by the environment in which he or she lives.”

Issue Brief: Neighborhoods and Health

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 19:20:00 GMT

This Commission issue brief examines the current evidence linking neighborhoods and health, the opportunities for Americans to live in healthy neighborhoods, and promising programs and interventions to make neighborhoods healthier places to live, learn and play.

Giving Every Child the Opportunity to be Healthy

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 18:01:00 GMT

A sobering new report from our national health commission shows that California’s children face the largest health disparities in America. I wish I could say that I’m surprised, but I’m not. After years of working as an advocate for equitable social policy, I’m all too familiar with the glaring gaps in health among Californians.

New York Times: Infant Deaths Drop in U.S., but Rate Is Still High

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 16:34:00 GMT

Infant deaths in the United States declined 2 percent in 2006, government researchers reported Wednesday, but the rate still remains well above that of most other industrialized countries and is one of many indicators suggesting that Americans pay more but get less from their health care system.

HealthDay News: Family Income Impacts Children's Health

Tue, 04 Nov 2008 16:51:00 GMT

For American children, the state they live in and their family's income and education may help determine how healthy they are, a new survey shows. Among children aged 17 and younger, 16 percent are in less than optimal health, according to the state-by-state survey from the nonprofit Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

The Full Story About Children's Health

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 16:10:00 GMT

I covered a lot of stories as an ABC TV news anchor over the years, but I never quite got the full story about children’s health across this country. But now, living in Massachusetts specifically, and sitting on a national commission looking at Americans’ health, I get it. We’ve got a lot of work to do.

Marsha Basloe

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 14:02:00 GMT

Marsha has spent most of her professional career in the field of education but it took decades to reach the conclusion that early childhood development—the years before elementary school—is the key to it all.

Teresa Rubio and daughter Ana Baltazar

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 14:02:00 GMT

Teresa tries to guide her daughter, Ana, toward healthy choices – less bread and burgers, more vegetables. But busy parents can’t be with their children every minute of every day.

Philadelphia Inquirer: Where You Live Could Affect Life and Life Span

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 14:02:00 GMT

A public hearing at Temple explores the factors that contribute to health disparities.

Commission Launch Event Details

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 17:17:00 GMT

Washington, D.C.
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Launches Commission to Look Beyond Medical Care System to Improve the Health of All Americans
Mark McClellan, Alice Rivlin to Lead the National Effort

Commission to Build a Healthier America Holds Second Public Hearing

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 18:04:00 GMT

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Commission to Build a Healthier America held its second public hearing in Philadelphia focused on how physical and social conditions impact health.

Commission Releases "America's Health Starts With Healthy Children: How Do States Compare?"

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 18:03:00 GMT

Commission releases new state-by-state report that finds shortfalls in children's health tied to parents' income and education.

October 6 is National Child Health Day

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 17:31:00 GMT

Child Health Day is celebrating its 80th anniversary of helping kids to eat healthy and be active - read more below. Also, visit the Resources section to read the Commission's issue brief on early childhood experiences and health for background on this important factor.

Vermont: Social Factors Affecting Children’s Health

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:58:00 GMT

Vermont: Gaps in Infant Mortality

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:58:00 GMT

In Vermont, infant mortality rates – a key indicator of overall health – appear to vary by mother’s education.

Vermont: Gaps in Children’s General Health Status

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:58:00 GMT

Within Vermont, children’s general health status varies by family income and education. Children in the least-advantaged groups typically experience the worst health, but even children in middle-class families are less healthy than those with greater advantages.

Virginia: Social Factors Affecting Children’s Health

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:58:00 GMT

Virginia: Gaps in Infant Mortality

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:58:00 GMT

In Virginia, infant mortality rates – a key indicator of overall health – vary by mother’s education and racial or ethnic group.

Virginia: Gaps in Children’s General Health Status

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:58:00 GMT

Within Virginia, children’s general health status varies by family income and education and by racial or ethnic group. Children in the least-advantaged groups typically experience the worst health, but even children in middle-class families appear to be less healthy than those with greater advantages.

Washington: Social Factors Affecting Children’s Health

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:58:00 GMT

Washington: Gaps in Infant Mortality

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:58:00 GMT

In Washington, infant mortality rates – a key indicator of overall health – vary by mother’s education and racial or ethnic group.

Washington: Gaps in Children’s General Health Status

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:58:00 GMT

Within Washington, children’s general health status varies by family income and education and by racial or ethnic group. Children in the least-advantaged groups typically experience worse health than those with greater advantages.

West Virginia: Social Factors Affecting Children’s Health

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:58:00 GMT

West Virginia: Gaps in Infant Mortality

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:58:00 GMT

In West Virginia, infant mortality rates – a key indicator of overall health – appear to vary by mother’s education and racial or ethnic group.

West Virginia: Gaps in Children’s General Health Status

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:58:00 GMT

Within West Virginia, children’s general health status varies by family income and education and by racial or ethnic group. Children in the least-advantaged groups typically experience the worst health, but even children in middle-class families appear to be less healthy than those with greater advantages.

Wisconsin: Social Factors Affecting Children’s Health

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:58:00 GMT

Wisconsin: Gaps in Infant Mortality

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:58:00 GMT

In Wisconsin, infant mortality rates – a key indicator of overall health – vary by mother’s education and racial or ethnic group.

Wisconsin: Gaps in Children’s General Health Status

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:58:00 GMT

Within Wisconsin, children’s general health status varies by family income and education and by racial or ethnic group. Children in the least-advantaged groups typically experience worse health than those with greater advantages.

Wyoming: Social Factors Affecting Children’s Health

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:58:00 GMT

Wyoming: Gaps in Infant Mortality

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:58:00 GMT

In Wyoming, infant mortality rates – a key indicator of overall health – appear to vary by mother’s education.

Wyoming: Gaps in Children’s General Health Status

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:58:00 GMT

Within Wyoming, children’s general health status varies by family income and education and by racial or ethnic group. Children in less-advantaged groups typically experience worse health than those with greater advantages.

Kansas: Social Factors Affecting Children’s Health

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:57:00 GMT

Kansas: Gaps in Infant Mortality

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:57:00 GMT

In Kansas, infant mortality rates – a key indicator of overall health – vary by mother’s education and racial or ethnic group.

Kansas: Gaps in Children’s General Health Status

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:57:00 GMT

Within Kansas, children’s general health status varies by family income and education and by racial or ethnic group. Children in less-advantaged groups typically experience worse health than those with greater advantages.

Kentucky: Social Factors Affecting Children’s Health

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:57:00 GMT

Kentucky: Gaps in Infant Mortality

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:57:00 GMT

In Kentucky, infant mortality rates – a key indicator of overall health – vary by mother’s education and racial or ethnic group.

Kentucky: Gaps in Children’s General Health Status

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:57:00 GMT

Within Kentucky, children’s general health status varies by family income and education. Children in the least-advantaged groups typically experience the worst health, but even children in middle-class families appear to be less healthy than those with greater advantages.

Louisiana: Social Factors Affecting Children’s Health

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:57:00 GMT

Louisiana: Gaps in Infant Mortality

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:57:00 GMT

In Louisiana, infant mortality rates – a key indicator of overall health – vary by mother’s education and racial or ethnic group.

Louisiana: Gaps in Children’s General Health Status

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:57:00 GMT

Within Louisiana, children’s general health status varies by family income and education and by racial or ethnic group. Children in the least-advantaged groups typically experience the worst health, but even children in middle-class families are less healthy than those with greater advantages.

Maine: Social Factors Affecting Children’s Health

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:57:00 GMT

Maine: Gaps in Infant Mortality

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:57:00 GMT

In Maine, infant mortality rates – a key indicator of overall health – appear to vary by mother’s education.

Maine: Gaps in Children’s General Health Status

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:57:00 GMT

Within Maine, children’s general health status appears to vary by household income and education. Children in the least-advantaged groups typically experience worse health than those with greater advantages.

Maryland: Social Factors Affecting Children’s Health

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:57:00 GMT

Maryland: Gaps in Infant Mortality

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:57:00 GMT

In Maryland, infant mortality rates – a key indicator of overall health – vary by mother’s education and racial or ethnic group.

Maryland: Gaps in Children’s General Health Status

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:57:00 GMT

Within Maryland, children’s general health status varies by family income and education and by racial or ethnic group. Children in the least-advantaged groups typically experience worse health than those with greater advantages.

Massachusetts: Social Factors Affecting Children’s Health

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:57:00 GMT

Massachusetts: Gaps in Infant Mortality

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:57:00 GMT

In Massachusetts, infant mortality rates – a key indicator of overall health – vary by mother’s education and racial or ethnic group.

Massachusetts: Gaps in Children’s General Health Status

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:57:00 GMT

Within Massachusetts, children’s general health status varies by family income and education and by racial or ethnic group. Children in the least-advantaged groups typically experience the worst health, but even children in middle-class families appear to be less healthy than those with greater advantages.

Michigan: Social Factors Affecting Children’s Health

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:57:00 GMT

Michigan: Gaps in Infant Mortality

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:57:00 GMT

In Michigan, infant mortality rates – a key indicator of overall health – vary by mother’s education and racial or ethnic group.

Michigan: Gaps in Children’s General Health Status

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:57:00 GMT

Within Michigan, children’s general health status varies by family income and education and by racial or ethnic group. Children in the least-advantaged groups typically experience the worst health, but even children in middle-class families appear to be less healthy than those with greater advantages.

Minnesota: Social Factors Affecting Children’s Health

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:57:00 GMT

Minnesota: Gaps in Infant Mortality

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:57:00 GMT

In Minnesota, infant mortality rates – a key indicator of overall health – vary by mother’s education and racial or ethnic group.

Minnesota: Gaps in Children’s General Health Status

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:57:00 GMT

Within Minnesota, children’s general health status varies by family income and education and by racial or ethnic group. Children in less-advantaged groups typically experience worse health than those with greater advantages.

Mississippi: Social Factors Affecting Children’s Health

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:57:00 GMT

Mississippi: Gaps in Infant Mortality

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:57:00 GMT

In Mississippi, infant mortality rates – a key indicator of overall health – vary by mother’s education and racial or ethnic group.

Mississippi: Gaps in Children’s General Health Status

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:57:00 GMT

Within Mississippi, children’s general health status varies by family income and education and by racial or ethnic group. Children in the least-advantaged groups typically experience the worst health, but even children in middle-class families appear to be less healthy than those with greater advantages.

Missouri: Social Factors Affecting Children’s Health

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:57:00 GMT

Missouri: Gaps in Infant Mortality

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:57:00 GMT

In Missouri, infant mortality rates – a key indicator of overall health – vary by mother’s education and racial or ethnic group.

Missouri: Gaps in Children’s General Health Status

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:57:00 GMT

Within Missouri, children’s general health status varies by family income and education. Children in the least-advantaged groups typically experience the worst health, but even children in middle-class families are less healthy than those with greater advantages.

Montana: Social Factors Affecting Children’s Health

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:57:00 GMT

Montana: Gaps in Infant Mortality

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:57:00 GMT

In Montana, infant mortality rates – a key indicator of overall health – appear to vary by mother’s education and racial or ethnic group.

Montana: Gaps in Children’s General Health Status

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:57:00 GMT

Within Montana, children’s general health status varies by family income and education. Children in the least-advantaged groups typically experience the worst health, but even children in middle-class families appear to be less healthy than those with greater advantages.

Nebraska: Social Factors Affecting Children’s Health

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:57:00 GMT

Nebraska: Gaps in Infant Mortality

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:57:00 GMT

In Nebraska, infant mortality rates – a key indicator of overall health – vary by mother’s education and racial or ethnic group.

Nebraska: Gaps in Children’s General Health Status

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:57:00 GMT

Within Nebraska, children’s general health status varies by family income and education and by racial or ethnic group. Children in less-advantaged groups typically experience worse health than those with greater advantages.

Nevada: Social Factors Affecting Children’s Health

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:57:00 GMT

Nevada: Gaps in Infant Mortality

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:57:00 GMT

In Nevada, infant mortality rates – a key indicator of overall health – vary by mother’s education and racial or ethnic group.

Nevada: Gaps in Children’s General Health Status

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:57:00 GMT

Within Nevada, children’s general health status varies by family income and education and by racial or ethnic group. Children in the least-advantaged groups typically experience the worst health, but even children in middle-class families appear to be less healthy than those with greater advantages.

New Hampshire: Social Factors Affecting Children’s Health

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:57:00 GMT

New Hampshire: Gaps in Infant Mortality

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:57:00 GMT

In New Hampshire, infant mortality rates – a key indicator of overall health – vary by mother’s education and racial or ethnic group.

New Hampshire: Gaps in Children’s General Health Status

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:57:00 GMT

Within New Hampshire, children’s general health status appears to vary by family income and education and by racial or ethnic group. Children in less-advantaged groups typically experience worse health than those with greater advantages.

New Jersey: Social Factors Affecting Children’s Health

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:57:00 GMT

New Jersey: Gaps in Infant Mortality

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:57:00 GMT

In New Jersey, infant mortality rates – a key indicator of overall health – vary by mother’s education and racial or ethnic group.

New Jersey: Gaps in Children’s General Health Status

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:57:00 GMT

Within New Jersey, children’s general health status varies by family income and education and by racial or ethnic group. Children in the least-advantaged groups typically experience the worst health, but even children in middle-class families appear to be less healthy than those with greater advantages.

New Mexico: Social Factors Affecting Children’s Health

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:57:00 GMT

New Mexico: Gaps in Infant Mortality

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:57:00 GMT

In New Mexico, infant mortality rates – a key indicator of overall health – vary by mother’s education.

New Mexico: Gaps in Children’s General Health Status

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:57:00 GMT

Within New Mexico, children’s general health status varies by family income and education and by racial or ethnic group. Children in the least-advantaged groups typically experience the worst health, but even children in middle-class families appear to be less healthy than those with greater advantages.

New York: Social Factors Affecting Children’s Health

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:57:00 GMT

New York: Gaps in Infant Mortality

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:57:00 GMT

In New York, infant mortality rates – a key indicator of overall health – vary by mother’s education and racial or ethnic group.

New York: Gaps in Children’s General Health Status

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:57:00 GMT

Within New York, children’s general health status varies by family income and education and by racial or ethnic group. Children in the least-advantaged groups typically experience worse health than those with greater advantages.

North Carolina: Social Factors Affecting Children’s Health

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:57:00 GMT

North Carolina: Gaps in Infant Mortality

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:57:00 GMT

In North Carolina, infant mortality rates – a key indicator of overall health – vary by mother’s education and racial or ethnic group.

North Carolina: Gaps in Children’s General Health Status

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:57:00 GMT

Within North Carolina, children’s general health status varies by family income and education and by racial or ethnic group. Children in the least-advantaged groups typically experience the worst health, but even children in middle-class families appear to be less healthy than those with greater advantages.

North Dakota: Social Factors Affecting Children’s Health

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:57:00 GMT

North Dakota: Gaps in Infant Mortality

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:57:00 GMT

In North Dakota, infant mortality rates – a key indicator of overall health – vary by mother’s education and racial or ethnic group.

North Dakota: Gaps in Children’s General Health Status

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:57:00 GMT

Within North Dakota, children’s general health status varies by family income and education. Children in the least-advantaged groups typically experience the worst health, but even children in middle-class families appear to be less healthy than those with greater advantages.

Alabama: Social Factors Affecting Children’s Health

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:56:00 GMT

Alabama: Gaps in Infant Mortality

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:56:00 GMT

In Alabama, infant mortality rates – a key indicator of overall health – vary by mother’s education and racial or ethnic group.

Alabama: Gaps in Children’s General Health Status

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:56:00 GMT

Within Alabama, children’s general health status varies by family income and education and by racial or ethnic group. Children in the least-advantaged groups typically experience the worst health, but even children in middle-class families are less healthy than those with greater advantages.

Alaska: Social Factors Affecting Children’s Health

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:56:00 GMT

Alaska: Gaps in Infant Mortality

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:56:00 GMT

In Alaska, infant mortality rates – a key indicator of overall health – vary by mother’s education and racial or ethnic group.

Alaska: Gaps in Children’s General Health Status

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:56:00 GMT

Within Alaska, children’s general health status varies by family income and education and by racial or ethnic group. Children in the less-advantaged groups appear to be less healthy than those with greater advantages.

Arizona: Social Factors Affecting Children’s Health

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:56:00 GMT

Arizona: Gaps in Infant Mortality

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:56:00 GMT

In Arizona, infant mortality rates – a key indicator of overall health – vary by mother’s education and racial or ethnic group.

Arizona: Gaps in Children’s General Health Status

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:56:00 GMT

Within Arizona, children’s general health status varies by family income and education and by racial or ethnic group. Children in the least-advantaged groups typically experience the worst health, but even children in middle-class families appear to be less healthy than those with greater advantages.

Arkansas: Social Factors Affecting Children’s Health

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:56:00 GMT

Arkansas: Gaps in Infant Mortality

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:56:00 GMT

In Arkansas, infant mortality rates – a key indicator of overall health – vary by mother’s education and racial or ethnic group.

Arkansas: Gaps in Children’s General Health Status

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:56:00 GMT

Within Arkansas, children’s general health status varies by family income and education and by racial or ethnic group. Children in the least-advantaged groups are generally less healthy than those with greater advantages.

California: Social Factors Affecting Children’s Health

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:56:00 GMT

California: Gaps in Infant Mortality

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:56:00 GMT

In California, infant mortality rates – a key indicator of overall health – appear to vary by mother’s education and racial or ethnic group.

California: Gaps in Children’s General Health Status

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:56:00 GMT

Within California, children’s general health status varies by family income and education and by racial or ethnic group. Children in the least-advantaged groups typically experience the worst health, but even children in middle-class families are less healthy than those with greater advantages.

Colorado: Social Factors Affecting Children’s Health

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:56:00 GMT

Colorado: Gaps in Infant Mortality

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:56:00 GMT

In Colorado, infant mortality rates – a key indicator of overall health – vary by mother’s education and racial or ethnic group.

Colorado: Gaps in Children’s General Health Status

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:56:00 GMT

Within Colorado, children’s general health status varies by family income and education and by racial or ethnic group. Children in the least-advantaged groups typically experience the worst health, but even children in middle-class families appear to be less healthy than those with greater advantages.

Connecticut: Social Factors Affecting Children’s Health

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:56:00 GMT

Connecticut: Gaps in Infant Mortality

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:56:00 GMT

In Connecticut, infant mortality rates – a key indicator of overall health – vary by mother’s education and racial or ethnic group.

Connecticut: Gaps in Children’s General Health Status

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:56:00 GMT

Within Connecticut, children’s general health status varies by family income and education and by racial or ethnic group. Children in the least-advantaged groups typically experience the worst health, but even children in middle-class families appear to be less healthy than those with greater advantages.

District of Columbia: Social Factors Affecting Children’s Health

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:56:00 GMT

District of Columbia: Gaps in Infant Mortality

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:56:00 GMT

In the District of Columbia, infant mortality rates – a key indicator of overall health – vary by mother’s education and racial or ethnic group.

District of Columbia: Gaps in Children’s General Health Status

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:56:00 GMT

Within the District of Columbia, children’s general health status varies by family income and education and by racial or ethnic group. Children in the least-advantaged groups typically experience the worst health, but even children in middle-class families are less healthy than those with greater advantages.

Delaware: Social Factors Affecting Children’s Health

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:56:00 GMT

Delaware: Gaps in Infant Mortality

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:56:00 GMT

In Delaware, infant mortality rates – a key indicator of overall health – vary by mother’s education and racial or ethnic group.

Delaware: Gaps in Children’s General Health Status

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:56:00 GMT

Within Delaware, children’s general health status varies by family income and education and by racial or ethnic group. Children in the least-advantaged groups typically experience the worst health, but even children in middle-class families appear to be less healthy than those with greater advantages.

Florida: Social Factors Affecting Children’s Health

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:56:00 GMT

Florida: Gaps in Infant Mortality

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:56:00 GMT

In Florida, infant mortality rates – a key indicator of overall health – vary by mother’s education and racial or ethnic group.

Florida: Gaps in Children’s General Health Status

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:56:00 GMT

Within Florida, children’s general health status varies by family income and education and by racial or ethnic group. Children in the least-advantaged groups typically experience the worst health, but even children in middle-class families appear to be less healthy than those with greater advantages.

Georgia: Social Factors Affecting Children’s Health

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:56:00 GMT

Georgia: Gaps in Infant Mortality

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:56:00 GMT

In Georgia, infant mortality rates – a key indicator of overall health – vary by mother’s education and racial or ethnic group.

Georgia: Gaps in Children’s General Health Status

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:56:00 GMT

Within Georgia, children’s general health status varies by family income and education and by racial or ethnic group. Children in the least-advantaged groups typically experience the worst health, but even children in middle-class families appear to be less healthy than those with greater advantages.

Hawaii: Social Factors Affecting Children’s Health

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:56:00 GMT

Hawaii: Gaps in Infant Mortality

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:56:00 GMT

In Hawaii, infant mortality rates – a key indicator of overall health – appear to vary by mother’s education and racial or ethnic group.

Hawaii: Gaps in Children’s General Health Status

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:56:00 GMT

Within Hawaii, children’s general health status varies by family income and education and by racial or ethnic group. Children in the least-advantaged groups typically experience the worst health, but even children in middle-class families appear to be less healthy than those with greater advantages.

Idaho: Social Factors Affecting Children’s Health

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:56:00 GMT

Idaho: Gaps in Infant Mortality

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:56:00 GMT

In Idaho, infant mortality rates – a key indicator of overall health – vary by mother’s education.

Idaho: Gaps in Children’s General Health Status

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:56:00 GMT

Within Idaho, children’s general health status varies by family income and education and by racial or ethnic group. Children in the least-advantaged groups typically experience the worst health, but even children in middle-class families appear to be less healthy than those with greater advantages.

Illinois: Social Factors Affecting Children’s Health

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:56:00 GMT

Illinois: Gaps in Infant Mortality

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:56:00 GMT

In Illinois, infant mortality rates – a key indicator of overall health – vary by mother’s education and racial or ethnic group.

Illinois: Gaps in Children’s General Health Status

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:56:00 GMT

Within Illinois, children’s general health status varies by family income and education and by racial or ethnic group. Children in the least-advantaged groups typically experience the worst health, but even children in middle-class families appear to be less healthy than those with greater advantages.

Indiana: Social Factors Affecting Children’s Health

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:56:00 GMT

Indiana: Gaps in Infant Mortality

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:56:00 GMT

In Indiana, infant mortality rates – a key indicator of overall health – vary by mother’s education and racial or ethnic group.

Indiana: Gaps in Children’s General Health Status

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:56:00 GMT

Within Indiana, children’s general health status varies by family income and education and by racial or ethnic group. Children in the least-advantaged groups typically experience the worst health, but even children in middle-class families appear to be less healthy than those with greater advantages.

Iowa: Social Factors Affecting Children’s Health

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:56:00 GMT

Iowa: Gaps in Infant Mortality

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:56:00 GMT

In Iowa, infant mortality rates – a key indicator of overall health – vary by mother’s education and racial or ethnic group.

Iowa: Gaps in Children’s General Health Status

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:56:00 GMT

Within Iowa, children’s general health status varies by family income and education and by racial or ethnic group. Children in the least-advantaged groups typically experience the worst health, but even children in middle-class families appear to be less healthy than those with greater advantages.

USA TODAY: Federal Agencies Start Summit on Healthy Homes

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 13:50:00 GMT

The U.S. government is ramping up efforts to promote the building of healthy homes free of lead, chemicals, mold, moisture and pests. Four federal agencies are hosting the first national summit on the topic, beginning Monday in Baltimore.

TIME: Narrowing World Health Disparities

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 17:41:00 GMT

On average, a black man living in Washington, D.C., does not live as long as a man in India, and he certainly doesn't live as long as a white man in his hometown. The reasons — just like the reasons that the Japanese and Swedes live longer than the Ukrainians, and why aborigines in Australia on average die 17 years earlier than non-aborigines — are almost entirely social, according to a new report from the World Health Organization (WHO) released today.

Washington Post: Poverty Rate Held Steady Last Year, Census Says

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 21:42:00 GMT

The nation's poverty rate held steady as median household income edged upward last year, according to annual census data released yesterday. The number of children in poverty increased by 500,000 to 13.3 million.

Washington Post: Healthy Lunches Help Kids' Concentration in School

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 17:23:00 GMT

Healthy foods should be included on the list of back-to-school supplies for your children, says a University of Michigan Health System expert.

Washington Post: For Many Kids, There's No Free Lunch in Summer

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 21:49:00 GMT

In the 2006-2007 school year, 16.3 million children benefited from free or reduced-price lunches through the National School Lunch Program. But what happens when schools let out for the summer? The hunger does not end for many of these kids, but their access to free lunches does.

New York Times : Patterns: In Older Neighborhoods, Less Weight Gain

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 14:14:00 GMT

Can where you live play a role in how much you weigh? A new study finds that it can, and reports that people who live in older neighborhoods appear less likely to be overweight.

David R. Williams, Ph.D.

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 17:37:00 GMT

David R. Williams, Ph.D.

AHIP Coverage: Creating the Conditions for Health

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 20:11:00 GMT

Some factors that play a major role in a population’s health transcend the system itself. A new $5 million project by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, called the Commission to Build a Healthier America, is focused on analyzing and making policy recommendations about factors outside “health care” that affect how long and how well Americans live.

Los Angeles Times: Council bans new fast-food outlets in South L.A.

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 15:55:00 GMT

The one-year moratorium, proposed by Councilwoman Jan Perry, is aimed at attracting restaurants serving healthier fare to the area, where a study found 30% of children are obese.

MSNBC: Heavy? Your neighborhood may be to blame

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 18:59:00 GMT

It could be your neighborhood that's making you fat — or keeping you slender. A new study found that the year your neighborhood was built may be just as important as diet and exercise for shedding pounds.

Wall Street Journal: Exiling the Happy Meal

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 19:25:00 GMT

Despite its health-crazy reputation, parts of Los Angeles are plagued by obesity rates that rival any city in America. Now, the city may join a growing roster of local governments aiming to put their residents on diets by cracking down on the fast-food industry.

Associated Press: Report: Invest $10 a Person for Better Health

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 13:54:00 GMT

Investing just $10 per person — roughly the price of a six-pack of beer and some chips — could greatly fuel community programs that get couch potatoes moving, prevent smoking and improve nutrition, researchers say.

Washington Post: L.A. Official Wants a Change of Menu

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 14:57:00 GMT

Citing alarming rates of childhood obesity and a poverty of healthful eating choices, a city councilwoman is pushing for a moratorium on new fast-food restaurants in South-Central Los Angeles.

The Baltimore Sun: An Uphill Nutrition Fight

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 20:02:00 GMT

Johns Hopkins University's attempt to get better food into inner city runs into difficulties, including customer resistance.

USA TODAY: CDC Campaign Hopes to Make USA Healthier Nation

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 18:01:00 GMT

Julie Gerberding, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, wants to get this message out to Americans: Health care isn't only what takes place in a doctor's office, a clinic or a hospital.

Dan Gauthreaux

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 16:19:00 GMT

It all began with a couple of fidgety staffers. Design guru Mitchell Gold was in a meeting and noticed that a few employees seemed more interested in their watches than the conversation. As the minutes ticked toward 5 p.m., the parents in the room were silently fretting that they’d be late for the daily day care pick-up. And if they were late, they’d face extra charges.

Malcolm Hamlett

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 16:19:00 GMT

Malcolm is the sort of teen who makes everything look easy. Star basketball player. Decent grades. Confident and comfortable – whether he’s goofing around with the little ones or surrounded by a group of suits. But that wasn’t always the case. Back in middle school, Malcolm had difficulty opening up with adults and was afraid to try lifting weights. He worried about his appearance and what other kids thought of him.

Tina Evans

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 16:19:00 GMT

When Tina first began taking her daughter to the Durham, N.C., YMCA, the goal was to improve Kieria’s grades. Tina, who works full-time in hospital admissions, tried to help Kieria herself. "But we needed somebody outside the family to help her get on track," says Tina, explaining that parents often have trouble filling the role of tutor. In short order, Kieria’s Cs in math and reading became As and Bs.

New York Times: Diabetes Cases Increase 15 Percent In 2 Years

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 21:46:00 GMT

The number of Americans with diabetes increased by 15 percent in two years to 24 million, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 8 percent of the population now has the disease, mainly Type 2 diabetes, which is linked to obesity and sedentary living, the agency said in a report using data from 2007.

Chicago Tribune: New York to Issue Licenses for 500 Veggie-Only Food Carts

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 21:42:00 GMT

In an effort to get New Yorkers to eat better, the city is preparing to issue licenses for 500 food carts that will be allowed to sell only fresh fruit and vegetables. The carts, which are expected to start appearing on the streets later this summer, are restricted to low-income areas that have the fewest sources of fresh produce in the city.

The Huffington Post: Too Poor To Parent?

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 21:35:00 GMT

Parenting while poor almost always leads to suspicion. At least 60 percent of child-welfare cases in the United States involve solely allegations of neglect, usually for inadequate food, clothing, shelter or inadequate supervision or guardianship. Not surprisingly, poor families are up to 22 times more likely to be involved in the child-welfare system than wealthier families.

NBC 17: National Panel Highlights NC Child Health Care

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 21:31:00 GMT

RALEIGH - Finding the right child care program isn't always easy. Just ask Hillsborough resident Ricky Hill, who needed help for his infant son. Hill told his story to members of the Commission to Build a Healthier America, which stopped in Raleigh Thursday. It was one of only three stops in its national tour to find out about non-medical programs that are working to improve public health.

HealthDay: Education, Income Affect Heart Attack Survival Rates

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 21:31:00 GMT

Being well-off and well-educated may improve your chances of surviving a heart attack, according to new report.

News & Observer: Health Commission Meets at Marbles Today

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 14:10:00 GMT

RALEIGH - A national commission gathering information on overcoming obstacles to Americans' health is holding its first field meeting today in downtown Raleigh.

News & Observer: Scholar: Early stress lingers

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 14:10:00 GMT

RALEIGH - When children endure abuse or see horrific incidents, their stress can rise to levels that affect not only mental well-being but also lifelong physical health, a Harvard researcher told a gathering of state health leaders Thursday.

Commission to Build a Healthier America Holds First Public Hearing

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 22:26:00 GMT

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Commission to Build a Healthier America Holds First Public Hearing in Raleigh, N.C.; Focus on Links between Early Childhood Development and Health

The Elkins' Family

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 13:01:00 GMT

Sheryl and Dean Elkins have spent most of their lives in Oak Hill, West Virginia, where Dean works as a volunteer fire fighter and helps his father run the family printing business. Sheryl is a stay-at-home mom caring for their autistic son, Keith, and caring for her aging mother and aunt. Learn how two generations of this American family have worked hard and struggled to be healthy in a place where obstacles to health abound.

Beverly Davis

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 12:56:00 GMT

How does one person’s illness affect a family, a community and a society? What toll does it take on a mother? On her young children, their health and their chances for success? See how Beverly Davis, a former member of the U.S. Army and a single mother of two young children, strives to cope and live a successful, healthy life while suffering from a debilitating intestinal disease.

Field Hearing Kit: Raleigh, N.C.

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 12:32:00 GMT

Download the kit including all materials from the Commission's first field hearing in Raleigh, N.C.

Kenyon McGriff

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 12:31:00 GMT

It's easy to be healthy in a nice neighborhood, with tree lined streets, sidewalks, good grocery stores and farmers’ markets – but Kenyon McGriff didn’t grow up in a neighborhood like that. Weighing 270 pounds by the time he was in 10th grade, Kenyon learned that his environment, with all of its fast food restaurants, corner markets, and dimly lit sidewalks, was more of a challenge to his health than he had ever imagined.

The Carolina Abecedarian Project

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 12:30:00 GMT

No Description

No Description

Issue Brief: Early Childhood Experiences and Health

Thu, 05 Jun 2008 14:33:00 GMT

This Commission issue brief investigates how the earliest years of our lives set us on paths leading toward—or away from—good health.

Healthy Children: Earlier Rather than Later

Thu, 05 Jun 2008 14:33:00 GMT

“Better earlier than later.” How often have we heard that expression? Whether the phrase is applied to the detection of disease, applying for jobs, or taking a flight at peak travel times, early action is key. Child development experts in this country have been saying that with regards to children--aged birth to five--for the past 40 years.

Occupational Health & Safety: Healthier America Commission Holding First Field Hearing June 12

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 19:25:00 GMT

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Commission to Build a Healthier America will hold its first field hearing June 12 in Raleigh, N.C., to showcase promising programs in early childhood development and testimony from local leaders and national experts about non-medical programs that are improving children's health and wellness.

Los Angeles Times: Education level makes a difference in your BMI

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 19:10:00 GMT

When it comes to a healthy body weight, education matters. Highly educated men and women in the U.S. have a lower average body mass index than their less-educated counterparts, according to a new comparison of international data. Conversely, highly educated men and women in poor countries where malnutrition is prevalent tend to have a higher BMI than less-educated people.

An Unprecedented Reversal

Fri, 23 May 2008 16:35:00 GMT

A recent study documents an unprecedented reversal over the past few decades in Americans’ life expectancy. For the first time in nearly a century, rather than increasing, life expectancy for women declined in 180 of the nation’s 3,000-plus counties.

Washington Post: Obesity Threatens a Generation; 'Catastrophe' of Shorter Spans, Higher Health Costs

Wed, 21 May 2008 19:14:00 GMT

With one in three children in this country overweight or worse, the future health and productivity of an entire generation -- and a nation -- could be in jeopardy.

Alice M. Rivlin

Wed, 21 May 2008 17:38:00 GMT

Alice M. Rivlin

Wed, 21 May 2008 17:38:00 GMT

Alice M. Rivlin is a Senior Fellow in the Economic Studies program at the Brookings Institution and a visiting professor at the Public Policy Institute of Georgetown University. She is the director of Brookings Greater Washington Research Project. Before returning to Brookings, Rivlin served as Vice Chair of the Federal Reserve Board (1996-1999) and served as the Director of the White House Office of Management and Budget in the first Clinton Administration.

New York Times: Counting Birthdays: The Short End of the Longer Life

Wed, 14 May 2008 15:00:00 GMT

Throughout the 20th century, it was an American birthright that each generation would live longer than the last. Year after year, almost without exception, the anticipated life span of the average American rose inexorably, to 78 years in 2005 from 61 years in 1933, when comprehensive data first became available. But new research shows that those reassuring nationwide gains mask a darker and more complex reality. A pair of reports out this month affirm that the rising tide of American health is not lifting all boats, and that there are widening gaps in life expectancy based on the interwoven variables of income, race, sex, education and geography.

Washington Post: The Less the Education, the Higher the Risk of Dying Early

Wed, 14 May 2008 15:00:00 GMT

The difference in death rates between highly educated and poorly educated people in the United States is very wide and growing wider, according to new research. For Americans with less than a high school education, the risk of dying prematurely is on the increase -- rising most quickly for white women in that category. In contrast, the risk of premature death among college graduates is falling -- fastest of all for black men.

LA Times: UCLA Study Links Poor Health to Fast-Food Neighbors

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 15:25:00 GMT

Higher rates of diabetes and obesity occur in neighborhoods -- regardless of the residents' income, race or ethnicity -- where fast-food restaurants and convenience stores greatly outnumber grocery stores and produce vendors, according to a statewide study released today.

Life Expectancy Falls In Pockets of U.S.

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 18:04:00 GMT

Not everybody is living longer. Sure, most Americans’ life expectancy has increased in recent years, but there have been declines in some regions of the country, especially for women. The drops took place primarily in Appalachia, the Deep South and stretches of the Mississippi River basin, Harvard University researchers found.

JAMA: Group Seeks to Improve Nonmedical Aspects of Health in the United States

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 14:29:00 GMT

Because a number of factors outside the medical system have considerable effects on health, experts are working to identify non-medical strategies to improve the well-being of those living in the United States. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has launched a national, independent, and nonpartisan group called the Commission to Build a Healthier America to investigate how factors such as education, environment, income, and housing influence personal choices that affect health.

Washington Post: Life Expectancy Tied to Education

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 14:14:00 GMT

Life expectancy in the United States is on the increase, but only among people with more than 12 years of education, a new study finds. In fact, those with more than 12 years of education -- more than a high school diploma -- can expect to live to 82; for those with 12 or fewer years of education, life expectancy is 75.

USA TODAY: Life Spans Decline in Some U.S. Areas

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 14:08:00 GMT

While most Americans enjoyed a clear jump in life expectancy from 1960 to 2000, a startling number — especially women — living primarily in the Deep South and in Appalachia actually saw a drop in life spans beginning in 1983, says a study that came out Monday. In sum, where you live makes a difference in how long you can expect to live.

Timely Moment to Seek Solutions

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 21:20:00 GMT

Solutions to the complex problem of improving health and reducing health disparities will not be simple, but this is a uniquely opportune time to seek them. Widespread recognition – by business, government, and the general public – that medical care costs must be brought under control creates a sense of urgency. Pervasive concerns about global economic competitiveness add to pressures not only to reduce medical care costs but to have a healthier and thus more economically productive workforce.

Commission to Study Outside Health Factors

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 16:41:00 GMT

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has created a two-year Commission to Build a Healthier America to focus on factors outside of medicine to improve health in the short and long term.

Florida Times-Union: Bad Food, Not Just Hunger, Is Literally Killing The Poor

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 22:03:00 GMT

According to the Duval County Health Department study, "Place Matters," people who live in the urban core are more likely to die from heart disease and diabetes - maladies that are directly related to diet and lack of access to foods that don't cause high blood pressure and obesity.

Newsweek: What's Race Got To Do With It?

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 18:29:00 GMT

We're all the products of our environment and our genes. But when it comes to health, which factor is the trump card? Would a woman with a family propensity for ovarian cancer avoid coming down with the disease if she were raised on a macrobiotic diet in pollution-free rural North Dakota? Or on the flip side, could a white woman adopted from a middle-class family in Idaho into a poor Hispanic family in New York suddenly become vulnerable to diabetes or asthma?

Just Why Are We Sick?

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 17:47:00 GMT

A documentary series that has been airing on KET on consecutive Thursdays since March 27, presents some startling evidence that our socio-economic status as well as racial inequities can cause problems with our health. Unnatural Causes: Is Inequality Making Us Sick? investigates findings that belie conventional understanding of what causes us to be healthy or chronically ill.

San Francisco Chronicle: PBS to air study on link between money, health

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 18:20:00 GMT

Unnatural Causes: Is Inequality Making Us Sick?, a four-part PBS series that explores why social factors - economic status, race, neighborhood conditions - can be more powerful predictors of health and life expectancy than biology or even some behaviors such as smoking.

USA Today: Can Wealth Affect Health

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 18:12:00 GMT

Unnatural Causes: Is Inequality Making Us Sick? concludes that, contrary to popular belief, your health is not just the sum of your genes, your health habits and the quality of your health insurance plan. Your income, education and race matter; so does your address, your job title and the status your parents had when you were small.

New York Times: Gap in Life Expectancy Widens for the Nation

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 13:41:00 GMT

New government research has found “large and growing” disparities in life expectancy for richer and poorer Americans, paralleling the growth of income inequality in the last two decades.

Associated Press: New Report Details Health Challenges Facing Urban Indians

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 21:17:00 GMT

Rich or poor, American Indians in cities across the country are facing startling health challenges unlike those of any other urban population, according to a new study of federal data.

Brownsville Herald: Study: McAllen Area Hispanic Children Have Fewer Opportunities

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 21:08:00 GMT

In the March/April issue of the journal Health Affairs, researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health conclude that the McAllen metropolitan area is one of the five worst regions of the country in its proportion of Latino children who live in "low-opportunity" neighborhoods compared to white children. Low-opportunity neighborhoods tend to have fewer grocery stores with fresh produce, poorer schools, fewer parks and playgrounds and higher crime rates than high-opportunity neighborhoods, said lead researcher Dolores Acevedo-Garcia. Those factors contribute to children's overall health as they grow up, she said.

Financial Times: US society helping to make people sicker

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 20:41:00 GMT

Americans should be living four years longer at current rates of healthcare spending, signaling that US society is helping to make people sicker, a report on health inequality said on Thursday.

Washington Post: Very Premature Babies Don't Get Follow-Up Care

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 20:39:00 GMT

A groundbreaking study reports that most very low birth-weight babies born to low-income women failed to get critical follow-up care within their first two years of life.

Washington Examiner: Study: Race, location play roles in life expectancy

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 20:39:00 GMT

Black Americans are more likely than whites to die from a host of illnesses, from diabetes to heart disease and cancer, a new report says. And where you live may be an even bigger factor than race, wealth or education in determining life expectancy, disease outcomes and other health issues, says the report, released Thursday by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

New York Times : Council Vote for Good Health May Weaken Business at Groceries in Poor Neighborhoods

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 20:38:00 GMT

They are fixtures of New York City life: sidewalk peddlers and the grocers who try to shoo them away from their storefronts. The City Council grudgingly added to that time-honored clash on Wednesday, approving a bill that will increase the number of fruit and vegetable carts in the city’s poor neighborhoods.

Lower Income Is Linked with Worse Health

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 18:47:00 GMT

Diabetes decreases with increasing income. Diabetes is twice as common among poor adults as those in the highest-income group. Lower-income adults are also more likely to have heart disease. The prevalence of heart disease is nearly 50 percent higher among poor adults than among adults in the highest-income group.

Income Is Linked with Health Regardless of Racial or Ethnic Group

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 18:47:00 GMT

Differences in health status by income do not simply reflect differences by race or ethnicity; differences in health can be seen within each racial or ethnic group. Both income and racial or ethnic group matter.

Mapping Education

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 18:47:00 GMT

Educational attainment among adults varies markedly across different regions of the country.

Mapping Disease

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 18:47:00 GMT

Disease varies geographically. For example, higher rates of death due to heart disease are often seen in areas where fewer adults have college educations.

Whites are the Largest Racial or Ethnic Group Among Poor Americans

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 18:47:00 GMT

Although blacks and Hispanics have higher rates of poverty, whites are the largest racial or ethnic group among poor Americans.

Losing Ground in Health: Life Expectancy

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 18:47:00 GMT

In 1980, the U.S. ranked 14th among industrialized countries in life expectancy (LE) at birth. By 2003, we had slipped to 23rd place.

Americans Have Shorter Lives than Expected Based on Income

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 18:47:00 GMT

Life expectancy is shorter in the U.S. than in some countries with per capita incomes half as large as ours. Based on per capita income, U.S. life expectancy at birth should be nearly three years longer.

America Is Not Getting Good Value for Its Health Dollar

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 18:47:00 GMT

The U.S. spends more money per person on health than any other country, but our lives are shorter—by nearly four years—than expected based on health expenditures.

Social Factors Have Effects Beyond Health

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 18:47:00 GMT

The social conditions that cause differences in health also have profound effects in other sectors.

Reducing Health Disparities: Broadening the Focus

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 18:47:00 GMT

Medical care and personal responsibility for behaviors are important. But finding promising strategies to reduce disparities will require broadening the focus to include the social and economic contexts in which Americans live.

More Education, Longer Life

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 18:46:00 GMT

For both men and women, more education often means longer life. College graduates can expect to live at least five years longer than individuals who have not finished high school.

Higher Income, Longer Life

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 18:46:00 GMT

Adult life expectancy increases with increasing income. Men and women in the highest-income group can expect to live at least six and a half years longer than poor men and women.

Lower Income, Worse Health

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 18:46:00 GMT

Lower income is linked with worse health. Compared with adults in the highest- income group, poor adults are nearly five times as likely to be in poor or fair health.

Less Education, Worse Health

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 18:46:00 GMT

Less education is linked with worse health. Compared with college graduates, adults who have not finished high school are more than four times as likely to be in poor or fair health.

Lower Income, More Chronic Illness

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 18:46:00 GMT

Nearly one in every three poor adults has their activity limited by chronic illness, compared with fewer than one in 10 adults in the highest-income group.

Health Varies by Income and Across Racial or Ethnic Groups

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 18:46:00 GMT

Lower income generally means worse health. Racial or ethnic differences in health status are also evident: Poor or fair health is much more common among black and Hispanic adults than among white adults.

Racial or Ethnic Differences in Health Regardless of Income

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 18:46:00 GMT

Racial or ethnic disparities do not simply reflect differences in income. Racial or ethnic disparities in the likelihood of poor or fair health are seen within each income group. Both income and race or ethnic group matter.

Persistent Gaps in Health by Income

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 18:46:00 GMT

Income disparities in the percent of adults with limited activity due to chronic illness have not narrowed in recent years.

Racial or Ethnic Differences in Poverty

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 18:46:00 GMT

Higher proportions of black and Hispanic Americans live in poverty. These patterns are particularly striking for children.

The High Economic Stakes of Health Disparities

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 18:46:00 GMT

If Americans who have not completed college experienced the lower death rates and better health status of college graduates, they would live longer and healthier lives. These improvements would translate into potential gains of $1.007 trillion annually.

Influences on Health: Broadening the Focus

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 18:46:00 GMT

Health is shaped by many influences, including age, sex, genetic make-up, medical care, individual behaviors and other factors not shown in this diagram. Behaviors, as well as receipt of medical care, are shaped by living and working conditions, which in turn are shaped by economic and social opportunities and resources.

Social Advantage and Health Across Lifetimes and Generations

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 18:46:00 GMT

Social disadvantage and health disadvantage accumulate over time, creating ever more daunting obstacles to health.

Increasing Income Inequality

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 18:46:00 GMT

The incomes of the wealthiest 20 percent of Americans have increased dramatically, while the rest of the population has experienced little improvement in income.

Increasing Inequality in Where Americans Live

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 18:46:00 GMT

The percentage of middle-income neighborhoods has been shrinking, while the percentage of both very high-income and very low-income neighborhoods has increased.

The new health math: < education = < life

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 13:22:00 GMT

A new report from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), Overcoming Obstacles to Health, codifies the relationship between socioeconomics and health. Health disparities go way beyond simple race and ethnicity categories -- the combination of income, education, wealth, and neighborhood conditions could be more useful in explaining differences in Americans' health status.

CQ HealthBeat: New Commission Will Study Non-Medical Health Factors

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 13:19:00 GMT

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) recently announced the creation of a new national commission to study the impact of issues outside the health care system that affect individuals’ well being. (Subscription Required)

Commission to Build a Healthier America Launched

Fri, 29 Feb 2008 19:32:00 GMT

RWJF Launches Commission to Look Beyond Medical Care System to Improve the Health of All Americans.

Economic Value of Improving the Health of Disadvantaged Americans

Fri, 29 Feb 2008 19:30:00 GMT

Technical Report for Overcoming Obstacles to Health: Report from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to the Commission to Build a Healthier America

WebMD: Social Factors Affect Americans' Health

Fri, 29 Feb 2008 15:20:00 GMT

While the presidential candidates are busy debating how to reform health insurance, a group of experts says it's going to find out what makes Americans sick before they ever get to the doctor.

Enabling America to Reach its Full Health Potential

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 20:12:00 GMT

Improving health by improving education, housing, job opportunities, and neighborhoods sounds like an enormous undertaking. But I am engaged in this Commission because I am convinced, now more than ever, that there are promising solutions that exist out there.

Launch Media Kit

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 00:29:00 GMT

Download a complete packet of Commission launch media materials.

Carole Simpson

Tue, 26 Feb 2008 22:39:00 GMT

Carole Simpson

Tue, 26 Feb 2008 22:39:00 GMT

Carole Simpson retired from ABC News in 2006 to become Leader in Residence at Emerson College’s School of Communication in Boston, where she is a full-time faculty member teaching courses in public affairs reporting, political communication, and broadcast journalism. Simpson is also a commentator for National Public Radio’s “News and Notes” program. At ABC News, Simpson was the anchor of the weekend editions of “World News Tonight” from 1988-2003 and a senior national correspondent. She was the first African American woman to anchor a major network evening news broadcast. Simpson received a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism from the University of Michigan.

Dennis Rivera

Tue, 26 Feb 2008 22:39:00 GMT

Dennis Rivera

Tue, 26 Feb 2008 22:39:00 GMT

Dennis Rivera chairs SEIU Healthcare, a union of over one million health care workers dedicated to health care reform. SEIU Healthcare was launched in June 2007 as the health care division of the two million-member Service Employees International Union, America’s largest labor union. In addition to heading SEIU Healthcare, Rivera chairs the Partnership for Quality Care. He served as president of New York-based 1199 SEIU from 1989 to 2007. Born in Aibonito, Puerto Rico, Rivera attended the Colegio Universitario de Cayey.

Jim Towey

Tue, 26 Feb 2008 22:39:00 GMT

Jim Towey

Tue, 26 Feb 2008 22:39:00 GMT

Jim Towey is president of St. Vincent College in Pennsylvania. Previously, he served as director of the White House Office of Faith-Based & Community Initiatives and reported to the President on matters pertaining to federal grants to religious and community-based charities, corporate and foundation grantmaking to social service agencies, tax incentives for enhanced charitable giving, and the implementation of individual choice in housing and other federal programs. He served for 12 years as legal counsel to Mother Teresa of Calcutta and lived for one year in her Washington, D.C., home for people with AIDS. He is also former secretary of the Florida Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services. Towey earned a Bachelor's Degree from Florida State University and a Juris Doctor from the Florida State University College of Law.

Allan Golston

Tue, 26 Feb 2008 22:37:00 GMT

Allan Golston

Tue, 26 Feb 2008 22:37:00 GMT

Allan Golston is the president of the U.S. Program of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation where he oversees the Foundation’s Education, U.S. Libraries, and Pacific Northwest grant initiatives, as well as U.S. Program Advocacy and Special Initiatives. Golston, who joined the Foundation in 1999, most recently served as the chief financial and administrative officer. Golston’s professional background is in business including consulting, public accounting, software development, finance and health care. He holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Seattle University and a Bachelor’s of Science in Accounting from the University of Colorado.

Kati Haycock

Tue, 26 Feb 2008 22:37:00 GMT

Kati Haycock

Tue, 26 Feb 2008 22:37:00 GMT

Kati Haycock is one of the nation's leading child advocates in the field of education. She currently serves as president of The Education Trust, a Washington-based education organization that provides hands-on assistance to urban school districts and universities seeking to improve student achievement. Before joining The Education Trust, Haycock served as executive vice president of the Children's Defense Fund, the nation's largest child advocacy organization. She received a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science from the University of California, Santa Barbara and a Master's Degree in Education Policy from the University of California, Berkeley.

Linda M. Dillman

Tue, 26 Feb 2008 22:35:00 GMT

Linda Dillman is executive vice president of benefits and risk management for Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., where she has been instrumental in making changes to the company’s health care benefits, concentrating on providing associates and family members with affordable, accessible and high quality options for health coverage. She previously served as executive vice president and chief information officer at Wal-Mart. Linda has been named to Fortune Magazine's "50 Most Powerful Women in Business" list for the past five years. Linda joined Wal-Mart in 1991, and also worked for Hewlett-Packard Company. Her degree in Business Administration is from the University of Indianapolis.

Linda M. Dillman

Tue, 26 Feb 2008 22:35:00 GMT

Linda M. Dillman

Sheila Burke

Tue, 26 Feb 2008 22:35:00 GMT

Sheila Burke

Tue, 26 Feb 2008 22:35:00 GMT

Sheila P. Burke is a faculty research fellow and adjunct lecturer in public policy at the Malcolm Wiener Center for Social Policy, Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Previously, Burke served as the executive dean of the Kennedy School of Government. Burke also served as deputy secretary and chief operating officer of the Smithsonian Institution and was chief of staff to former Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole and deputy staff director of the Senate Committee on Finance. Burke holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing from the University of San Francisco and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Harvard University.

Angela Glover Blackwell

Tue, 26 Feb 2008 22:34:00 GMT

Angela Glover Blackwell

Tue, 26 Feb 2008 22:34:00 GMT

Angela Glover Blackwell is founder and chief executive officer of PolicyLink, a national research and action institute advancing economic and social equity by Lifting Up What Works. Based in Oakland, California, PolicyLink works with local and national partners to use policy solutions to address inequity. Before founding PolicyLink, Blackwell was senior vice president for The Rockefeller Foundation where she directed the foundation’s domestic and cultural divisions and developed the Next Generation Leadership and Building Democracy programs, centered on issues of inclusion, race, and policy. She received a Bachelor’s Degree from Howard University, and a Juris Doctor Degree from the University of California at Berkeley.

Katherine Baicker

Tue, 26 Feb 2008 22:34:00 GMT

Katherine Baicker

Tue, 26 Feb 2008 22:34:00 GMT

Katherine Baicker is a professor of health economics in the Department of Health Policy and Management at Harvard University. Her background is in health economics and health insurance financing, as well as public and labor economics. Baicker served as a senate-confirmed member of the Council of Economic Advisers from 2005-2007, where she focused on health reforms but had a wide-ranging portfolio including issues such as immigration, tax policy, and the education and training of American workers. She received her Bachelor's Degree in economics from Yale University and a Doctor of Philosophy in Economics from Harvard University.

Gail L. Warden

Tue, 26 Feb 2008 19:52:00 GMT

Gail L. Warden

Tue, 26 Feb 2008 19:52:00 GMT

Gail L. Warden is a professor at the University of Michigan School of Public Health and president emeritus of the Henry Ford Health System in Detroit, Michigan, one of the nation's leading health care systems. Before joining Henry Ford Health System, Warden served as president and chief executive officer of Group Health Cooperative of Puget Sound in Seattle. In 1997, he was appointed to the Federal Advisory Commission on Consumer Protection and Quality in the Health Care Industry. Since then he has worked on several boards and committees focusing on health care issues, including the RAND Health Board of Advisors. Warden received a Bachelor’s Degree from Dartmouth College, a Master’s Degree in Health Administration from University of Michigan, and an Honorary Doctorate in Public Administration from Central Michigan University.

Mark McClellan

Tue, 26 Feb 2008 19:37:00 GMT

Mark B. McClellan is the director of the Engelberg Center for Health Care Reform at the Brookings Institution. The Center studies ways to provide practical solutions for access, quality and financing challenges facing the U.S. health care system. Additionally, McClellan is the Leonard D. Schaeffer Chair in Health Policy Studies and a Senior Fellow of Economic Studies.

Mark McClellan

Tue, 26 Feb 2008 19:37:00 GMT

Mark McClellan

Obesity

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 17:04:00 GMT

Obesity

Lack of equity in health care for minority children in America

Wed, 13 Feb 2008 17:37:00 GMT

There is a lack of equity in health care for minority children in America, according to data gathered in a nationwide survey and analyzed by a UT Southwestern Medical Center researcher.