A Blue Sky Health Framework for
Addressing Health Disparities
___________________________________________
Mark A. Peterson, PhD
Blue Sky Health Initiative Team and
School of Public Affairs
University of California – Los Angeles
Prepared for:
Round Table on Social Determinants of Health and Health Disparities
AcademyHealth Annual Research Meeting
Chicago I June 29, 2007
http://www.blueskyhealthinitiative.org/
Supported by
The California Endowment
The Core Blue Sky Health Team
Helen DuPlessis, MD (Pediatrics), MPH
David Ganz, MD (Geriatrics), PhD (Public Health)
Neal Halfon, MD (Pediatrics), MPH
Robert Kaplan, PhD (Psychology)
Arleen Leibowitz, PhD (Economics)
Mark Peterson, PhD (Political Science)
Timothy Prinz, PhD (Political Science)
Samuel Sessions, JD, MD (Psychiatry)
The Three Core Premises of Blue Sky
•
The Goal Should be Optimal Health Status
•
Health Status is a Function of Multiple
Determinants—Most of Which are Probably
Outside of Medical Care, Including the Social
Determinants of Health.
•
The Life Course Matters—Risks and Protective
Factors Early in Life Affect Health Status Later in
Life
Building the Blue Sky Health Framework
•
Blue Sky Health Symposium—UCLA
•
Blue Sky Health Symposium—Menlo Park
•
Blue Sky Health Midwest
•
Blue Sky Organization and Financing Conference
•
Blue Sky Health in Action—Early Childhood Health
When you think about the health of people like you and your family over the course of
their lives, how important do you think the following things are for ensuring good health?
(2006 CCES Pre-Election Survey)
Good Medical Care
Clean Air/Water
Preventive Care
Early Years Protections
Good Primary Provider
Nutritious Foods
Avoid Risky Behavior
Physical Activity
Exposure Prevention
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100
%
Extremely Important
4
3
2
Not Important at All
Cooperative Congressional Election Survey 2006, Blue Sky Health
“During the 2008 presidential campaign,
the nominees of the two major political
parties, Republican Senator John McCain
and Democratic Senator Barack Obama,
have both mentioned the importance of
disease prevention and health promotion.
If as president either one of them
announced the proposals identified below,
how supportive or opposed would you
be?”
CCAP 2008, Blue Sky Health
Based on the best available evidence, establish goals for the nation and guidelines that identify
ways to achieve the best possible health of individuals across the course of their lives, with specific
recommendations that could be used by federal, state, and local policy makers; health care
providers; and other service providers working in both medical and nonmedical settings (such as
schools).
CCAP 2008, Blue Sky Health
Establish a national community health measurement program to improve the ways in which health
is measured and assessed, at the level of the neighborhood and community, so people working in
the health care system understand better how social settings, individual behaviors, and government
policies influence the health of communities.
CCAP 2008, Blue Sky Health
Establish a national health impact assessment (HIA) program that evaluates the impact of public
policies, including those conventionally considered outside of health care, on disease prevention,
health promotion, and overall achievement of the best possible health of the population.
CCAP 2008, Blue Sky Health
Establish a national prevention innovation network of experts, practitioners, and community leaders
to promote new ideas, encourage the creation of effective community-based solutions, test ways to
apply those solutions on a large scale, and ensure broad dissemination of ideas and solutions to
gain full advantage from approaches that are found to be effective.
CCAP 2008, Blue Sky Health
Address the problem of obesity by developing comprehensive programs for communities to
implement to encourage healthy eating and physical activity.
CCAP 2008, Blue Sky Health