DEPARTMENT: Health
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Sandra Guerra, MD, MPH, Interim Deputy Public Health Director
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Council Districts 1-7
SUBJECT: A briefing on the Metro Health's Healthy Neighborhoods program expansion model and plan for working in new neighborhoods.
SUMMARY:
Metro Health's Healthy Neighborhoods Program Staff will provide a presentation on the plan to utilize the newly assigned $620,000 of general fund dollars, which includes the expansion of the Healthy Corner Store Project and the expansion of the Healthy Neighborhoods program into new neighborhoods.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Several chronic diseases are the leading causes of death that impact residents in San Antonio and Bexar County. Coronary Heart Disease is the leading cause of death and Diabetes is one of the top 5 causes of death in Bexar County. Many factors contribute to these diseases, including obesity, lack of physical activity, and poor diet. Other social determinants of health also impact overall health, such as socioeconomic status, educational level, and access to healthcare. In San Antonio, approximately 38% of adults are obese, while 28% of youth ages 8-18 years of age are obese. Approximately 43% of the residents in Bexar County did not meet any of the physical activity national recommendations (BRFSS 2017). The highest prevalence of obesity and physical inactivity rates occur in the most marginalized communities in the west, south and near east regions of the city; these are places that also experience food insecurity, poverty, and lack of access to resources.
Metro Health's Healthy Neighborhoods Program is working in several low-income neighborhoods on the near east, south and west sides of the city to improve the overall health of the residents and to better connect them to health services. Healthy Neighborhoods partners with resident leaders to implement place-based environmental and policy projects to reduce chronic disease and support healthy l...
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