A Closer Look Print Share
HealthA Closer Look
Access to Healthcare One component of a healthy community may be that all residents have access to necessary health services. Access varies greatly by income level, whether or not someone has health insurance or whether they know how or where to go to receive care. There are also disparities between racial and ethnic groups. For example, receiving adequate prenatal care is considered critical to having a healthy baby but Native American women are less likely than white women to receive such care. Why do you think this may be? There is a strong relationship between health insurance coverage and access to medical services. As healthcare costs increase, people without insurance are less likely to be able to afford their needed treatment. The uninsured come primarily from working families with low and moderate incomes, families for whom coverage is not available in the workplace or is unaffordable. Health insurance makes a substantial difference in the amount and kind of health care people are able to afford, as well as where they obtain care. Research has repeatedly shown that the lack of insurance ultimately compromises persons' health because they are less likely to receive preventive care, and are more likely to be diagnosed in the late-stages of disease. Having insurance improves health overall and could reduce mortality rates for the uninsured by 10 to 15%. Safety Another factor in determining the health of a community is safety. Safety from violence or bullying, safety in walking in our neighborhoods or a safe food and water supply are all crucial to having a high quality life. A safe community is one with low numbers of motor vehicle accidents, few violent crimes and unintentional injuries. Unintentional or "accidental" injury makes up about 2/3 of all injury deaths in New Mexico. The leading causes of accidental death include: motor vehicle crashes, the leading cause of death among youth aged 15-24, poisonings and falls. To address accidental injury, New Mexico has undertaken many efforts such as the enforcement seatbelt and child safety seat laws, enacted sobriety checkpoints and has developed a 24-hour Poison hotline. Youth violence is a major component of community safety. In 2004, 17% of youth surveyed nationwide responded that they carried a weapon on one or more days in the past month. 33% of youth reported being in a physical fight and 25% of 8th and 9th grade students have been victims of non-sexual dating violence. Among 10-24 year olds, homicide is the second leading cause of death for Hispanics, and the third leading cause of death for American Indians, Alaskan Natives and Asian Pacific Islanders. Community factors that may contribute to youth violence include low economic opportunity, high concentrations of poor residents and socially disorganized neighborhoods. Some factors that can have preventive effects on youth violence include high IQ, commitment to school and involvement in social activities. A Clean and Safe Environment The safety or our community can impact our health in many ways. If sidewalks are provided, residents may be more likely to walk to the store or to school, providing them with increased physical activity. Drinking water free contaminants, fresh food that is free from pesticides and air free of pollutants are what many of us think of when we hear the term "clean environment." In New Mexico, air pollution levels have been decreasing from 1989-2001. A "fully supporting" water supply is a body of water that is suitable for all five of the following uses: aquatic life support, fish consumption, swimming, drinking and agriculture. Only 20% of the lakes and 37% of the rivers in New Mexico are fully supporting, according to the Pacific Research Institute.
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