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Overcoming Obstacles to Health
Report from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to the Commission to Build a Healthier America
Published: Nov 17, 2009
Get full text or downloads
- Overcoming Obstacles to Health
- Report Highlights and Key Figures
- Economic Value of Improving the Health of Disadvantaged Americans
- Perceived Health Challenges in the United States: National Survey Results
- Story: B. Davis, Long Beach, Calif.
- Story: The Elkins Family, Oak Hill, W.Va.
- Story: K. McGriff, Philadelphia, Pa.
Despite what many believe, a person's health is not only a product of good medical care and genes. In fact, in many cases, these may only be small pieces of a much larger puzzle.
Social and economic factors are keeping some Americans from being as healthy as they should be. Based on work conducted by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), this report outlines in stark detail how a person's health and the likelihood of becoming sick and dying prematurely are greatly influenced by powerful social factors—such as levels of education, income and the quality of neighborhood environments.
This RWJF report describes the current health profile of Americans, looking specifically at how education, income, race and ethnicity play a role in Americans' health. This report:
- Examines the roles of personal and societal responsibilities for health within the contexts in which people live, work and learn—which influence both the choices people have and their ability to make healthy choices.
- Reviews evidence of the lasting impact that physical and social environments have on a child's health and on his or her chances of becoming a healthy adult.
- Reveals new national evidence of differences in health across income and education groups, and how they relate to differences in health by race or ethnicity.
- Provides new evidence of the economic and human costs of differences in health, including the life stories of three American families who are trying to make healthy choices but face major obstacles.
- Offers a framework for finding solutions by applying current knowledge about the underlying causes of social disparities in health.
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Charts, figures and photos
- A Mom's Education, A Baby's Chances of Survival
- America Is Not Getting Good Value for Its Health Dollar
- Americans Have Shorter Lives than Expected Based on Income
- Education Is Linked With Health Regardless of Racial or Ethnic Group
- Income Is Linked with Health Regardless of Racial or Ethnic Group
- Increasing Income Inequality
- Show more
Recommended
- Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Commission to Build a Healthier America Holds First Public Hearing (News releases)
- Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Commission to Build a Healthier America Holds Second Public Hearing Focused on How Physical and Social Conditions Impact Health (News releases)
- RWJF Commission to Build a Healthier America Holds Third Public Hearing Focused on How Work and the Workplace Impact Health (News releases)
- Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Commission to Hold First Field Hearing in North Carolina; Focus on Early Life Interventions (Stories and articles)
Related Web sites
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Commission to Build a Healthier America Holds First Public Hearing
Publication date:
June 12, 2008
Summary:
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Commission to Build a Healthier America heard testimony from more than a dozen experts in early life experiences and interventions at its first public hearing June 12, 2008.
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Commission to Build a Healthier America Holds Second Public Hearing Focused on How Physical and Social Conditions Impact Health
Publication date:
October 02, 2008
Summary:
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Commission to Build a Healthier America heard testimony from more than a dozen experts about how community, homes and neighborhoods shape health at its second public hearing in Philadelphia.
RWJF Commission to Build a Healthier America Holds Third Public Hearing Focused on How Work and the Workplace Impact Health
Publication date:
December 10, 2008
Summary:
At its third and final field hearing, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Commission to Build a Healthier America heard testimony from more than a dozen experts about how workplace wellness initiatives, working conditions and benefits provided through the workplace...
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Commission to Hold First Field Hearing in North Carolina; Focus on Early Life Interventions
Publication date:
May 20, 2008
Summary:
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Commission to Build a Healthier America will hold its first field hearing in Raleigh, N.C., on June 12, 2008. The hearing will showcase promising programs in early childhood development and feature local initiatives.
