Finding opportunity to improve your world
As a health educator and Dean of the College of Health Professions at Slippery Rock University, I have spent the last 35 years teaching students and community members the benefit of adopting a healthy lifestyle. I have also collaborated with colleagues to develop health promotion programs for schools, places of worship, college campuses, and neighborhoods just like yours. However, knowledge is only power when we have the opportunity and resources needed to act.
Health and health care disparities refer to differences in health and health care between groups that stem from broader social and economic inequities. It is increasingly important to address the health disparities as the population becomes more diverse and income inequity continues to grow.
The recent series of articles affiliated with the “Your Health is in Your Hands, and There is Help at Your Fingertip” campaign showcased helpful information about the social determinants of health’s six domains (i.e., health foods, education, health services, financial stability, student services, and neighborhood), as well as services available to residents of Butler County who may find themselves struggling in one or more of these domains. Although as individuals we are often held personally responsible for our behaviors, and subsequent consequences, when it comes to our own health and well-being, it is often wise to seek assistance from health professionals, community agencies, friends and family members who are committed to help us prosper.
I am reminded of a story between a father and his son. “One night a father was relaxing with his newspaper after a long day at the office. His son, who wanted to play, kept pestering him. Finally, fed up, the father ripped out a picture of the globe that was in the paper and tore it into many tiny pieces. ‘Here, son, go ahead and try to put this back together.’ he said, hoping this would keep the little boy busy long enough for him to finish reading his paper. To his amazement, his son returned only after one minute with the globe perfectly reassembled. When the startled father asked how he achieved this feat, the child smiled gently and replied, ‘Dad, on the other side of the globe there was a picture of a person, and once I got the person together, the world was okay.’”
The lesson in this story is that success on the outside really does begin within. It all starts by getting oneself together. Once this is accomplished, that person’s own world will be okay. It all starts with you. Just as a seed grows into a plant only when the soil, moisture and temperature are favorable, the environment must be ideal for us to flourish. Deep rooted health disparities lead to inequities that create challenges for success and growth. Therefore, even if YOUR Health is in YOUR Hands, do not be afraid to use those hands to reach out for help, and when given the opportunity, use those hands to help one another. The health promotion efforts and services described in this article series provide only a glimpse of the services that the Butler County community provides its residents. There Is Help at YOUR Fingertips.
Christine Karshin is the dean of the College of Health Professions at Slippery Rock University.
