NEVADA VIEWS: Creating better communities
Early in his presidency, George Washington opined that the promotion of both science and literature was the basis of public happiness and that they were also the very basis of democracy. If Nevada were to use health care as a surrogate for science, and public education as a surrogate for literature, Washington would have reason for concern. Nevada currently ranks in the bottom half of states for quality of health care and ranks 45th for public school systems.
Are education and health care related?
The medical literature is rich with studies suggesting strong and consistent relationships between the quality of education and the quality of health. The bottom line is that people who are more educated live longer and are in better health. Why? Education promotes critical thinking skills and social skills that prepare individuals to understand the value of a healthy lifestyle and drives them to achieve it. Data from the National Academy of Medicine shows that less-educated adults are more likely to be obese, smoke, abuse drugs and refrain from exercise.
The “social determinants of health” are those factors in our environment that directly affect health independently of biological determinants such as the immune system, cardiovascular system or digestive system. Social determinants of health include resources within a person’s neighborhood, access to healthy foods, access to transportation, financial stability and, of course, access to education and health care. The social determinants of health contribute to wide disparities in health care between people who differ only in the location of their homes.
To best improve the health of all communities, we must address the impacts of social determinants. Education offers a path out of poverty and is the most fundamental determinant.
What does this mean for Las Vegas?
Recently, the Clark County School District and the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV partnered to provide clinical care for students within an elementary school. Although initially a pilot project, there are plans to add additional schools and for UNLV to provide after-school instruction on healthy living through the university schools of Education, Dental Medicine, Nursing, Public Health, Integrative Health, and Medicine. Such partnerships are natural because health care providers are responsible for improving the health of the communities in which they reside.
Education can prevent disease. Knowing which foods to eat, which foods to avoid, knowing about preventive health measures such as vaccination and understanding the vital role that physical activity contributes to health are simple examples. Education can also lead to a better workforce and better-informed citizens, and education can help to stabilize the economy by providing a diverse workforce. Linking education and health care, as in the UNLV/CCSD model, can be expected to produce healthier and more educated citizens. Improving access to health care can reduce disparities and create better communities.
Dr. Marc J. Kahn is dean of the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine and vice president for health affairs at UNLV. Jesus F. Jara is superintendent of the Clark County School District.
