Genesee County Health Department

Better Life Through Better Health

Release Date:             February 27, 2008

End Date:                   March 27, 2008

Contact Person:          Lauren Shirey
                                  Community Health Analyst
                                  Genesee County Health Department

Phone:                        (810) 768-7970

RE:  Health Department Announces Health Equity Campaign

Your Genesee County Health Department is one of more than 100 local health departments nationwide taking part in the Health Equity Campaign sponsored by the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO).  The campaign coincides with a PBS television series titled “Unnatural Causes – Is Inequality Making Us Sick?”  The four-part series will be broadcast locally on WFUM TV-28 at 10:00 p.m. beginning on March 27 and continuing on April 3, 10, and 17, 2008.  The Genesee County Health Department encourages residents to watch the series and participate in events following the broadcast.

Health equity is concerned with the distribution of health conditions such as diabetes, infant mortality, high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, cancer, asthma, sexually transmitted disease, longevity, etc. within our society.  Health is distributed unequally and unfairly.  People who live in run down neighborhoods, have low-end jobs or no job at all, or who are racial or ethnic minorities are much more likely to suffer from poor health.  The unequal distribution of these social conditions and of health is not natural or inevitable.  Health is not solely the result of the genes we inherit and the lifestyle choices we make;  health is also a result of the choices we have according to our place in society.

Please visit the Genesee County Health Department web site at www.gchd.us for further information regarding the Health Equity Campaign.

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