Symbiosis: The Journal of Ecologically Sustainable Medicine
Symbiosis explores ecological principles of healing and medicine that support a healthy relationship
with the living earth.
Letter from the Director
While our essential focus continues to be on sustainability and environmental health care, this issue hinges on the premise that ‘environmental health’ or ‘environmental medicine’ includes all aspects of the environment, not just the natural world. After all, the environment also includes the built environment of urban landscapes, the indoor environments of offices, hospitals, schools and homes, and the behaviors that individuals and communities exhibit due to the environments in which we spend so much time. This is an especially important topic when considering the major theme of this issue—health disparities and the social determinants of health.
Joel Kreisberg, DC, MA
Executive Director
Health, Race and Place:
What's Prevention Got to do With It?
There exists compelling new statistical data suggesting that access to proven health protective resources is dependent upon the neighborhood in which one lives and those factors contribute significantly to health outcomes and mortality rates. Reduced access to clean air, healthy food, recreational space and decent housing that often exist in low income neighborhoods translates to increased negative health impacts and shorter life expectancy.
Socio-economic Factors that Impact Health Status
The landmark studies Whitehall I & II of British civil servants found that employees with the lowest income were much more likely to suffer from significant health issues or die younger than employees with higher salaries. The studies investigate the workplace, socioeconomic and social factors that contribute to the social gradient.
An Unhealthy America:
The Economic Burden of Chronic Disease
The Milken Institute reports that, currently, more than half of all Americans suffer from at least one chronic disease. This report addresses the dramatic human and financial toll of the seven most common chronic diseases on patient families and society as a whole. This study estimates the costs that could be avoided by instituting broad-based prevention programs which could reduce the prevalence of chronic disease.
Review: How Prevention Activities Work to Save
Health Care Dollars
Can prevention actually translate into significant health care cost savings? In Reducing Health Care Costs Through Prevention, prepared by the Prevention Institute, the California Endowment and the Urban Institute, the authors illustrate that primary prevention, defined as taking action to build resilience and to prevent problems before they occur, can have a dramatic impact on reducing costs on both the individual and system levels of health care. The document outlines elements of a systemic process of prevention that promotes healthy behaviors and environments before the onset of symptoms and reduces the likelihood that illness or injury will occur.
An Interview with Larry Cohen, MSW
Larry Cohen, MSW, Founder and Executive Director of the Prevention Institute, has been an advocate for public health and prevention since 1972. Larry discusses Prevention Institute, a nonprofit, national center dedicated to improving community health and well-being by building momentum for effective primary prevention and models for changing health care including the Spectrum of Prevention.
Green Medicine Tips: Social Determinants of Health
When asking the question, “What determines health?” it’s important to consider social factors as powerful determinants of health status. The workplace environment and workplace stress, specifically, have been found to have significant impacts on health. An overview of these factors and tips for improving workplace conditions are presented.
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