Guides: Public Health: PHE228

PHE 228: Health & Social Justice

Introduction to Health and Social Justice

Definitions & Background

LA County Center for Health Equity
LA County Public Health provides a helpful definition and explanation of what health equity is.
What is Health Equity?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides a definition of health equity and differentiates between equity and preventable disparities.
Social Determinants of Health
Explore the Social Determinants of Health (SDOH), courtesy of the CDC.

Data Tools for Exploration

Healthy People 2030
Includes 359 measurable objectives to improve explore health and well-being. From the US Department of Health and Human Services.
Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker
The Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker provides clear, up-to-date information on trends, drivers and issues that impact the performance of the U.S. healthcare system. It also illustrates how the U.S. is performing relative to other countries and how different parts of the system are performing relative to one another.

Resources

Center for Health Equity: Resources
A list of resources compiled by LA County Public Health on a variety of equity topics.

Example & Exploration: Zip Code Health Data

Life Expectancy: Could Where You Live Influence How Long You Live?
Use this tool to explore how life expectancy in a zip code compares to the state and national averages. From the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Where in Oregon Will You Live Long and Prosper? Life Expectancy by County
Information about Oregon life expectancy by county in this story from The Oregonian.

More Examples

STD Health Equity
Explore factors contributing to STD health equity. From the CDC.
What do we know about infant mortality in the U.S. and comparable countries?
Explore the data on infant mortality in the U.S. and similar countries. From the Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker.

Background

About Central Oregon Health Council (COHC)
The Central Oregon Health Council (COHC) is a not-for-profit, tax-exempt public and private community governance entity. The COHC is dedicated to improving the health of the region and providing oversight of the Medicaid population and Coordinated Care Organization (CCO).
Coordinated Care Organizations (CCO)
The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) defines CCOs as "networks of all types of health care providers who have agreed to work together in their local communities to serve people who receive health care coverage under the Oregon Health Plan." This link lists the CCOs in the state of Oregon.
CCO Service Areas (Map by Oregon Counties)
A visual mapped view of the list in the above link, showing which CCOs serve which Oregon counties. From the OHA.

The Plan

Regional Health Improvement Plan (RHIP), 2020-2024, Central Oregon
The 2020-24 plan from the COHC. Opens in Dropbox. You do not need an account to read or download the file.
Central Oregon Health Data
Track how Central Oregon is progressing on its RHIP measures. Very useful tool for exploring various health and social justice issues in this course.

Understanding Local Land Use

This collection of links will help you understand the housing system in Bend, including how residents can have input on the planning and development process. If you don't live in Bend, you can find similar information for your city or county (if you live outside any city limits) by searching for information on the planning department for your location (e.g., Dechutes County Planning Department, Redmond Planning Department, etc.).

Learn About: Land Use
From the City of Bend, these "Land Use 101" resources help you understand how the City's planning and development projects happen and how you can provide input.
Affordable Housing
Information about affordable housing in Bend, including links to resources and information on how to get involved.
Neighborhood Districts
Information about Bend's Neighborhood Districts, one of the key tools in Bend for citizen engagement in local decision making.
Equity Demographics and GO-Bond Projects (Dashboard)
Explore Bend's GO Bond (a 2020 transportation bond) projects via an equity lens. View the instructions on the right side of the page to use this tool most effectively.

Housing

Redlining & Restrictions

Background

Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions (CC&Rs)
From the popular legal site NOLO, this article will help you understand terms like covenants, conditions and restrictions when you encounter them in articles about housing and health justice.

Examples

How Decades of Racist Housing Policy Left Neighborhoods Sweltering
This interactive article from The New York Times illustrates how Black neighborhoods in Richmond, VA are measurably hotter due to a series of racist housing policies enacted in the 1930s.
A Racist History Shows Why Oregon is Still So White
This Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB) story provides background on Oregon's racist history of Black exclusion.
Good Deeds Program Helps to Remove Racial Exclusion Language from Home Deeds
Racist language is still present in many home deeds and can have a negative impact on homeowners, even though the Fair Housing Act of 1968 makes that language technically unenforceable. Learn more about efforts in Oregon to rectify the language in old deeds.

Affordable Housing and Being Unhoused

Background

Four Categories of the Homeless Definition
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is the government agency that addresses housing needs via a variety of programs. The HUD Exchange is a resource that serves HUD partners. On this page, you can learn about the four categories of homelessness recognized by HUD for Continuum of Care (CoC) partners. CoC partners are typically organizations who apply to HUD for funding to help individuals.
Central Oregon Ranks Top in Nation for Homeless Youth and Families
An article from The Bend Bulletin on homelessness in Central Oregon in April 2023.

Resources

Thrive Central Oregon
Thrive Central Oregon helps connects residents of Central Oregon with a wide variety of resources, including housing (and food, health care, employment, etc.). Anyone can use Thrive's services in person, phone, or email.

Food Security, Environment, and Access: Data Exploration Tools

Food Access Research Atlas
This interactive mapping tool allows you to explore indicators of food access via different measures of supermarket accessibility.
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Food Environment Atlas
This interactive map helps you explore different aspects of the food environment in the U.S. For example, you can view a map showing the concentration of fast food restaurants in the U.S. Click on the "Select Map to Display" menu to display options.
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Food Security in the U.S.
An overview and data tools for exploring food security in the U.S. From the Economic Research Service (ERS) at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
The Food Trust
The Food Trust addresses nutrition security via access, affordability, education and public policy.
Diabetes Data and Statistics
From the CDC, the latest FAQs, data and statistics on diabetes.
US Diabetes Surveillance System
From the CDC, a compilation of diabetes data and trends at national, state and county levels.

Background

Environmental Justice Timeline
Understand how the history of environmental justice has unfolded in the U.S. From the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Environmental Justice
Information and resources on environmental justice from the EPA.
Environmental Health Disparities and Environmental Justice
An overview of environmental health research, resources, plans and projects from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Data Exploration Tools

EJScreen: Environmental Justice Screening and Mapping Tool
EJScreen combines environmental and demographic indicators in maps and reports so you can learn how the two are related.
Search for Superfund Sites Where You Live
Superfund sites are contaminated by hazardous waste and have been identified for cleanup at the cost of the contaminator, whenever possible. This tool from the EPA allows you to search for superfund sites by state and view them on a map.

Criteria Air Pollutants
Background on the pollutants in air and how they can impact health.
AQI Basics
Learn how the Air Quality Index (AQI) works.
Researchers Say Pollution is a Social Justice Issue
The news release from the University of Wisconsin outlines why pollution is a social justice issue. You can read the full research article here.
Public Health Opportunities to Address the Health Effects of Air Pollution
Read the American Public Health Association's (APHA) policy statement on how public health professionals can address air quality and health justice issues.
Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)
Indoor air can be of poor quality, too. Read this page from the EPA for more information.
Indoor Air Quality and Community-Based Action (PDF)
Read about the EPA's efforts to address the health disparities behind indoor air quality issues.

Safe Drinking Water Act (SWDA)
The Safe Drinking Water Act (SWDA) is milestone legislation passed in 1974 that authorizes the EPA to regulate and protect public U.S. drinking water supplies.
Summary of the Clean Water Act (CWA)
The Clean Water Act (CWA), passed in 1972, enabled the EPA to implement pollution control programs to protect U.S. waters from wastewater and industry pollution.
Water Topics
A collection of water-related information from the EPA, including drinking water, wastewater, and climate resilience.
Health Effects of Lead Exposure
Information from the CDC on how lead, a common contaminant in water, imapcts health.
Flint Water Crisis: Everything You Need to Know
Flint, MI is one of the better-known instances of drinking water contamination in recent years. This page from the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) summarizes the situation.
Infrastructure Bill May Ease Clean Water Crisis for Warm Springs, Other Tribes
Our neighbors on the Warm Springs Reservation in Central Oregon have been battling water troubles for years. This 2021 story from the Oregonian provides more detail.
An Alabama Town’s Sewage Woes Test Biden’s Infrastructure Ambitions
This story highlights how residents of rural areas are at greater risk of living with dangerously unsanitary sewage systems.

Climate Change
Information from the American Public Health Association (APHA) on why climate change is a public health issue.
Climate Changes Health: Climate Justice
And, the American Public Health Association (APHA) explains why climate change is also a health justice issue.
Why Climate Change is an Environmental Justice Issue
This article by Renee Cho at the Columbia Climate School shows how climate change exacerbates existing health disparities.
Climate Change: Vital Signs of the Planet
With this site from NASA, you can explore the data behind climate change yourself.

Mental Health Stigma

The Stigma in Our Health Care System
This article details one individual's experience with mental health stigma impacting her health care.
Reducing Stigma
Defines and categorizes stigma associated with mental health conditions and outlines why it's important to break it and how you can take steps to reduce it.
Addressing Stigma
Actionable ways to reduce stigma from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH).
Approaches to Reducing Stigma
A chapter from the book Ending Discrimination Against People with Mental and Substance Use Disorders: The Evidence for Stigma Change on how to reduce stigma.

Data Tools for Exploration

The State of Mental Health in America
From Mental Health America (MHA), a variety of statistics and annual reports on mental health wellbeing in the U.S.
Mental Health in Oregon
This fact sheet provides an overview of mental health and substance use disorders in Oregon, including mental illness during the COVID-19 pandemic, trends in drug overdose death rates and suicide death rates, and coverage and access issues. For comparison, national level data are also included.

Addressing the Mental Health Crisis

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)
Background, resources, and data on the role that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) play in mental health across the lifespan.
California Community College Faculty and Staff Help Address Student Mental Health Issues
This article reports on the results of prevention and early intervention activities to support students' mental health needs in the California community college system.
Science Meets the Human Experience: Integrating the Medical and Recovery Models
From the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), a view of how to combine different models of mental illness treatment.
Mental Health First Aid
A skills-based training course that teaches participants about mental health and substance use issues. From the National Council for Mental Wellbeing.

Background

How a Brain Gets Hooked on Opioids
An overview of the history of opiates and an explanation of how they impact the brain.
Opioids
Facts, data, and research from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).
Healthcare Professionals: Opioids
From the CDC, information on safe prescribing of opioids.
Opioid Crisis in America
From the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), a collection of resources on opioid issues.

Data Tools for Exploration

Drug Overdose Death Rates
From the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).
U.S. Opioid Dispensing Rate Maps
From the CDC.
Drug Overdose
Data and information on various types of drug overdose, include opioids. From the CDC.

The Opioid Crisis in the News

Purdue Pharma Plea Offers Little Solace to Survivors of Opioid Crisis
This 2020 story in The New York Times illustrates the impact of the opioid epidemic in communities across the U.S.
‘Stuck with no way to get sober’: Lake Isabella boasts county’s highest opioid overdose rate, but has no medication assisted treatment program
This article from Bakersfield.com illustrates the systemic barriers to treatment that many opioid users face.

Reduction and Prevention

CMS Opioid Roadmap: Strategy to Fight the Opioid Crisis (PDF)
An action plan for countering the crisis from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Opens a PDF.
Overdose Prevention
Information on how the CDC is working to prevent overdoses and substance use-related harms.
Lifesaving Naloxone
Learn about Naloxone and how it can save lives. From the CDC.
Reducing Opioid Overdose and Misuse
From the Oregon Health Authority (OHA).
Peer Support Workers for Those in Recovery
Information on the role peer support workers can play in helping others break the cycle of addiction. From the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
How to Become a Certified Traditional Health Worker
Information on becoming a certified traditional health worker in Oregon, a step you need to take to become a peer support specialist.

Tobacco

Vaping/E-Cigarettes

5 Vaping Facts You Need to Know
From John Hopkins Medicine.
Notes from the Field: E-Cigarette Use Among Middle and High School Students — National Youth Tobacco Survey, United States, 2021
Recent data on youth tobacco use. From the CDC.

Disparities

Tobacco-Related Disparities
Information on tobacco and health equity from the CDC.
Tobacco is a Social Justice Issue: Mental Health
Information from the Truth Initiative (an anti-tobacco advocacy group) on the link between mental health and tobacco use.
Target Communities
Use this database from the Truth Initiative to search for information about how commercial tobacco advertising targets certain communities.
Tobacco Companies Target Poorer Neighborhoods with Advertising
A brief article about research showing the link between tobacco advertising and lower-income neighborhoods. From the Harvard School of Public Health.
How Juul Hooked Kids and Ignited a Public Health Crisis
An article from Time magazine about the impact of e-cigarette advertising on youth.

Prevention & Education

Tobacco Prevention and Education
Deschutes County's tobacco prevention and education resources.
Tobacco Prevention
The Oregon Health Authority's (OHA) tobacco prevention resources.
Kern County Tobacco Prevention Program
Kern County (CA) Public Health's tobacco prevention resources.

Cannabis

Background

Health Effects of Marijuana
An overview of the health effects of marijuana from the CDC.
Marijuana and Public Health
Public health-centric information on marijuana from the CDC.
How Does Marijuana Produce Its Effects?
An article that explains how marijuana works in the brain and body. From the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).
Is Marijuana Addictive?
From the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

Cannabis and Youth

Does Teenage Marijuana Use Affect IQ?
Information on how marijuana impacts brain development in youth. From the Child Mind Institute.
Flavored Cannabis Marketing Criticized for Targeting Children
From the PBS NewsHour, a story about cannabis companies targeting youth.

Disparities

Chart: Recreational marijuana stores are clustered in low-income areas of Denver, Seattle
From MJBizDaily, a look at where recreational marijuana stores are likely to be.
Why Are So Many Pot Shops in Poor Neighborhoods?
From Salon.com, another look at the demographics of recreational marijuana stores.