00:06
Neighborhood and Built Environment
it's like the fourth
one we're going to talk about.
00:11
And you may wonder how
in the world that has anything
to do with health?
Well guess what,
health is more than just physical.
00:19
Health is also mental health.
00:20
So how does that impact
someone's mental health
when you live in an environment
that's not necessarily safe
in so many ways.
00:28
So violence that happens.
00:30
And thinking about, again,
how we label people.
00:33
Why are those people violent?
Many times
it's a survival mechanism.
00:38
And people aren't thinking
about the impact
that's having
on the larger community
within their own neighborhoods,
and also on the outside,
people are just
thinking about survival.
00:50
And then when we think about
mental health and how real that is,
so if my mental health is altered
to a specific state,
then do I really rationalized
like everyone else
who may not have that degree
of mental health deficit.
01:07
So the neighborhoods people live in
significantly impact
health and well being
in so many ways.
01:14
When we think about access, again,
if my neighborhood doesn't have
one of those federally
qualified health centers in it,
and I don't have transportation.
01:23
If the bus cost money, and I
don't even have money for the bus,
then of course,
that's going to negatively impact
not only my health,
but also my well being.
01:32
And it impacts us
from a holistic point of view.
01:36
Some of those impact factors
in terms of neighborhood
and built environment,
or racial and ethnic minorities,
people with lower incomes
their higher rates about
of violence, I'm sorry,
and unsafe air and water.
01:51
So thinking about that
we have examples.
01:53
We think about the Flint, Michigan
thing that happened
just so recently.
01:58
That is appalling
for me personally,
because at this time,
we have so much knowledge
and so many resources.
02:06
How do we let that happen?
So what does that require?
Can we go and assess
neighborhoods across the country?
We absolutely can.
02:14
We have lots of funding
that we need to prioritize
in our own communities
in this country.
02:21
And how do we undo that?
We undo it by prioritizing,
doing those assessments
and doing the interventions
before those types of issues happen
where people do live in environments
where something as simple.
02:33
We think,
as simple as water is toxic,
and the impact
that it has on health.
02:39
So is that the only neighborhood?
Maybe not.
02:42
We need to think about
all kinds of things
Lead, we need to think
about neighborhoods
that are close to chemical plants.
02:49
Im from Louisiana.
02:50
I grew up in an area where there
are chemical plants everywhere.
02:54
I used to work oncology and
you wonder why so many people
who live in those surrounding areas
end up with cancer.
03:01
So that's the more funding
we can do some research
on specific areas.
03:05
And then how do we engage
with those chemical plants
so that they can do some
things to make it safer.
03:12
So people aren't negatively
impacted in terms of health.
03:16
And I know I'm veering
off with that one,
because it's not just according
to race and lower income.
03:21
That's humans period.
03:23
So what do we do to make
it safer for all humans,
but prioritizing the people
who are most affected
or impacted by these issues?
The goal with the neighborhood
and built environment
determinant of health
is to create neighborhoods
and environments
that promote health and safety.
03:39
So again,
while we're gonna prioritize
those who are most impacted,
we need to think about that
broadly, as well.
03:48
But in terms of
the determinants of health
and what you can do
as a health care provider,
seek out those grants.
03:56
And think of innovative ways
that we can help and partner
It all is going to require
collaborative effort
because it's not.
04:04
The responsibility of one discipline
is the responsibility of all humans.
04:09
And it is my personal belief
that when we decide to become
a healthcare professional
in any one of those disciplines,
then you decide that you want
to prioritize human beings,
the care and health of human beings
from a holistic perspective.
04:24
So even though
you may not be impacted directly,
it impacts us all in some ways,
either directly or indirectly.
04:33
One of the questions
that we need to think about
would be what can be done to improve
health, safety, and quality of life?
Well, guess what
it starts with interventions,
policy changes at the local state
and federal levels
that can help to reduce the health
and safety risks and promote health.
04:52
So many nurses,
that's one of the beauties of
being a healthcare professional,
not just nursing.
04:58
Many of us are interested in policy.
And policy change.
05:03
And we do have to influence
and impact these changes
on multiple different levels.
And we do have to care.
05:10
And sometimes even if
you're not interested,
if we don't do something
to impact policies and laws
that have an impact
on the determinants of health,
then again,
we're spinning our wheels.
05:21
So we do have to think of that from
a comprehensive perspective as well.
05:26
So if we provide opportunities,
something as simple as
sidewalks in a community.
05:30
So just thinking about
how you as a nurse,
or you as a physician,
or whatever discipline you decide
to be a part of
small changes sometimes
are some of the things we can do.
05:44
And how do we get sidewalks?
We do have to partner
with local governments
to get those sidewalks
in those communities.
05:50
And even how can we involve
federal government in that?
So simple things.
If we talk about walking,
walking trails.
06:00
If we think about
exercise quality of life,
but if it's not safe,
then that's a whole another
safe in terms of violence.
06:06
That's a whole another issue
we have to look at
from a whole different perspective.
06:11
But there are
so many things we can do,
starting from small to large.