5 Ways Your Local Health Department Can Benefit Your Community

Local health departments are an essential part of any thriving community. These departments act as liaisons between doctors, hospitals, pharmacies, and other healthcare providers in one town. They monitor local water supplies, restaurants, and other establishments to ensure they are following local codes and maintaining cleanliness standards. They can also work with the police department to respond to emergencies such as a mass shooting or natural disaster. A healthy community benefits everyone in it. In this blog post we look at 5 ways your local health department can benefit your community:

Encourages Healthy Living Habits

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that more than 90 percent of all diseases can be prevented by adhering to a specific set of healthy living habits. Unfortunately, these habits are not always taught in schools, so health departments play a key role in encouraging them. Local health departments can be a good resource for schools to learn more about healthy living habits and how to best teach them. Healthy living habits can include: - Eating healthy foods. This can include a wide range of items such as fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, and lean protein sources such as poultry, seafood, and beans. - Being physically active. This can include a variety of activities such as swimming, walking, gardening, and strength training. - Limiting alcohol and tobacco use. Education on the harmful effects of these substances as well as legal alternatives such as vaping and e-cigarettes can be very helpful. - Managing stress. This can include practicing stress reduction techniques such as meditation and yoga.

Stops Disease Before It Starts

Diseases that are detected and treated early are much less likely to cause harmful health outcomes. In order to be caught in time, the CDC and other health organizations encourage communities to get involved early. By taking advantage of community health fairs and other outreach methods, a local health department can get the word out to young people and families about diseases they should be aware of. Local health departments can also partner with schools to promote health education programs, especially in areas with high rates of youth obesity or low rates of immunization.

Improves Health Care Access And Quality

A robust local health department can also help improve access to quality health care. The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists recently reported that more than 50 percent of retail pharmacies had compliance issues with their data quality. Health departments can help local pharmacies stay on top of regulations and standards. They can also help improve the quality of care by tracking usage data. This can help pharmacists determine which drugs are being taken too often, too little, or in the wrong amounts.

Helps Communities Recover After Disasters

After a disaster such as a hurricane, local health departments can play an important role in helping communities recover. When a community is facing a health crisis, they need access to services that can help them heal. This includes mental health services as well as treatment for infectious diseases like HIV or hepatitis.

Supports Research and Upgrades Technology

Of course, a healthy community is important, but it also helps to think about how it can benefit your community long-term. A healthy community can use those benefits to build a stronger and more resilient community. For example, local health departments can use their resources to conduct research on topics such as heart disease or cancer. They can also use their resources to upgrade technology within their departments, so they can better serve their community.

Wrapping Up

Health departments are an important part of any community, and they are an excellent resource for promoting healthy living habits and improving access to quality health care. A healthy community can also use its benefits to conduct research, upgrade technology within its health department, and build resilience for the future. Health departments are an essential part of any thriving community, and they are an excellent resource for promoting healthy living habits and improving access for quality health care.