Defining Health
Our understanding of health is changing. Science has shown that health is not just the absence of a disease or illness. Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being. Community factors like poverty, substandard housing, lack of transportation, and limited access to health care and education can all impact health and create inequities that are unfair, unjust, and avoidable.
Defining Health Equity
Health equity means that all people are able to achieve their optimal level of health.
So what does health equity in action mean? It means taking the steps to create a better environment for our community members and correcting those inequities that are avoidable, unfair, and unjust. It means giving communities what they need to thrive. Each community faces their own unique set of challenges and barriers to good health. And some communities have more challenges and barriers than others.
Health equity means meeting communities where they’re at with the unique tools and resources needed to optimize their health.
Our health equity work is driven by the goal of creating thriving and healthy communities throughout southwest Michigan. Please join us in this important work to make sure that families, friends, and communities throughout Berrien County are healthy.