Health Equity Action Transformation (H.E.A.T)

Good health results from the interplay of several factors, only some of which are within an individual's control. By some estimates, what happens in the medical clinic provides only one-fifth of the total influence over health outcomes. Personal lifestyle choices- whether to smoke or consume alcohol, whether exercise or manage one's weight-compromise another quarter of the influence. The remainder - more than one-half of what determines a person's health outcomes- results from influence in the social and built environments. These external factors are called the Social Determinants of Health(SDoH). The report employs nearly 50 maps and data from numerous sources to explore many of the social determinants of health in Kansas City, KS and Wyandotte County and their distribution relative to the county's vulnerable populations. The report documents the uneven distribution of health outcomes and neighborhoods with limited resources. Case studies using patient data from two are healthcare providers identify neighborhoods with high levels of emergency-level health care and social services intervention. Historical maps and documents provide evidence of long-term neighborhood disinvestment rooted in discriminatory housing policy, spanning decades. Not surprisingly, these historically disinvested neighborhoods are the same areas that today experience the worst health outcomes. Policies and practices that extend beyond health interventions and reflect a commitment to health equity and health in all policies could go far in reversing many of these disparities.