What is wrong?
Health systems frequently treat illness after it occurs while overlooking the environmental, economic and social conditions that create poor health.
Air, water, food, housing, climate, isolation and ecological degradation are treated as separate concerns.
What is working?
- Preventive health programs
- Community health workers
- Clean-air monitoring
- Heat-action plans
- One Health strategies
- Resilience hubs
- Healthy-building standards
- Local wellness networks
- Climate-ready healthcare
- Nature-based health programs
Seven discussion questions
- What conditions actually create health?
- How do ecological conditions affect community health?
- How can prevention become the first line of care?
- Are local health systems prepared for climate disruptions?
- How can communities reduce isolation and mental distress?
- How can health data be useful without compromising privacy?
- Which local health condition can participants help improve?
Desired outcome
Identify one preventable local health risk and develop a community response around it.