PUBLIC HEALTH
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development. Because health happens at all ages and stages, these health outcomes are also arranged in the order of the life course, from infancy through old age.
We’ ve also carefully researched and included specific recommendations for evidence-based best practices to improve health. Best practices are science-based interventions, including policy changes that have led to better population health outcomes when applied in other localities. These best practices have been assembled from comprehensive research programs which have assessed and evaluated many policies and programs. In many cases, these interventions have also been found to be cost-effective for communities.
Some of the sources of the best practices recommended in Louisville Metro Health Equity Report 2017 included the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation County Health Rankings and Roadmaps: What Works for Health, CDC HI-5 Interventions,), CDC 6 | 18 Initiative, the City Health Guide, and the Community Guide.
Here are some of the recommendations of the 2017 Health Equity Report that health care providers may want to learn more about and advocate for:
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Increase the age of sale for tobacco products from 18 to 21 in Kentucky. insurance cover screenings and preventive oral health care services.
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Mandate vaccinations for Sexually Transmitted Infections( STIs) such as HPV and hepatitis B.
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Maintain access to free and reduced cost birth control such as long acting reversible contraceptives( LARCs), as is currently mandated under the Affordable Care Act.
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Continue to require health insurance plans to include mental health benefits and coverage in all policies.
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Institute permit-to-purchase laws that require individuals purchasing a firearm to first apply for a permit, decreasing immediate access to lethal means of suicide.
I invite you to take a good look at the Louisville Metro Health Equity Report 2017 as you work to improve the health outcomes of your patients. You can find it online at www. HealthEquityReport. com. We would also be happy to join you and your staff to give you a presentation and deeper dive into the report. Contact us at 502- 574-6616 or email us at healthequity @ louisvilleky. gov.
Dr. Sarah Moyer is the director of the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness and Mayor Fischer’ s Chief Health Strategist. She is also an assistant professor at the University of Louisville School of Public Health and Information Sciences.
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Increase the tax on tobacco products to reduce demand and consumption and prevent youth from starting. Currently, the Coalition for a Smoke-Free Tomorrow, led by the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky, is leading an effort to have Kentucky lawmakers increase our cigarette tax, one of the lowest in the country, by one dollar to at least $ 1.60 per pack. Other localities have seen their rates of smoking substantially decrease, especially among teenagers, when their cigarette tax was increased.
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Limit the number of locations able to advertise and sell tobacco products within 1,000 yards of a school.
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Limit the density of liquor stores to prevent over-concentration in certain neighborhoods.
»» Implement a state-level earned income tax credit.
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Strengthen local enforcement capabilities for homes determined to have lead hazards, making homeowners, including landlords, accountable for removing home lead hazards.
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Ensure that Medicaid, Medicare and private health insurances cover lead screenings, environmental testing and treatment.
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Maintain and enforce mandatory oral health screenings and referrals for children entering school, with follow-up treatment when necessary.
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Continue to ensure that Medicaid, Medicare and private health 10 LOUISVILLE MEDICINE