The best medicine for optimal health is not the ones found in the hospitals. A new report suggests that early access to education and better neighborhood contribute to one's health.
Dr. Mark Wilson, Jefferson County Health Officer revealed that technology and expertise are not enough to end poverty and inequality, which are among the factors that lead to diseases per AL.com.
Instead, the medical professional urged the community leaders to work together and provide early access to education and improved neighborhood to the residents. Wilson added that universal early access to pre-kindergarten and accelerate effort to end
blight contribute to the overall health of the citizens.
"If children do not graduate from high school, they are more likely to be unemployed, to be unhealthy and to die prematurely," Wilson explained.
A study from NIEER.org led by Allison Friedman-Krauss and W. Steven Barnett supports Wilson's stand. According to the authors, early care and education, and parenting programs contribute to better health over one's life course. "A variety of early childhood programs have been found to positively influence health in the short and long term," the study concluded.
"The potential economic returns from such health benefits are substantial but have not always been included in benefit-cost analyses or in policy debates regarding public investments in early childhood development programs."
AL.com notes that when one lives in poverty, his health is often compromised. For instance, children from low-income family have elevated lead levels, which may impede their learning capacities.
Alabama is one of the 20 states that have not expanded its Medicaid program to cover many of the working poor. Wilson believes that the state should expand Medicaid. However, it will not be an easy battle because most lawmakers opposed to Medicaid expansion.
"We're somewhat limited in what we can do," Wilson said. "But it's hard to see people who fall into that Medicaid gap and can't afford the care they need."
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