Community Health Issues Forum

Renowned health equity expert Dr. Adewale Troutman, Director of the Louisville Metro Health Department in Kentucky, shared his perspective on fair and equitable health policy at a community issues forum hosted by United Way of the Columbia-Willamette and the Northwest Health Foundation.



Photos by Laura O'Brien, United Way Graphics Designer & Photographer

The event drew together a broad range of community and business leaders to discuss rethinking and reframing the definition of community health and increase awareness of inequities that exist throughout the region.

Dr. Troutman, best known for his research work on racial disparities in health care and his contribution to the PBS documentary "Unnatural Causes: Is Inequality Making Us Sick?," emphasized the importance of understanding social determinants of health -- the interconnectedness of socioeconomic factors that prevent people in low-income and underserved communities to achieve excellent health outcomes. Social determinants include access to health care, quality education, living wage jobs -- among other indicators that affect quality of life. Effective programs and policies target root causes of health disparities in racial, tribal and ethnic communities.

Three breakout sessions featured panels of local experts that addressed youth mentoring, prisoner re-entry and community-based health strategies. Thanks to local leaders who served as facilitators: Sharon Gary-Smith, Director of Special Projects, Cascadia Behavioral Healthcare; Jill Fuglister, Co-Director, Coalition for a Livable Future; and Tricia Tillman, Director, Office of Multicultural Health and Services, State of Oregon.

We'll have more to share about results from the forum in succeeding posts. Stay tuned...