This is a guest post by Bechara Choucair, MD, the Senior Vice President and Chief Community Health Officer at Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc. and Hospitals. He spoke on one of our panels in Cambridge and reflects on the meeting in this blog.  One of every three Americans is not confident in their ability to access basic social needs such Continue reading [...]

By Kate Raphael It is well documented that housing is closely associated with health. The location, condition, and context of where we live intersect many factors that indirectly affect health. Our housing literally encompass environmental (think: dust and exposure to the elements) and social factors (think: isolation and crime) that directly affect health. A person experiencing Continue reading [...]

By Kate Raphael Across many disciplines, greater educational attainment is closely associated with health. People who have obtained more schooling are significantly likelier to live longer, healthier lives. The mediating pathways that facilitate this connection are myriad and complex. A number of pathways have been proposed, including ones involving health literacy and behaviors, employment opportunities, and social and Continue reading [...]

By Austin Frakt In an illuminating set of conversations on Monday at the Drivers of Health event in Cambridge, a diverse group of experts discussed how health care providers, local policy makers and community groups can work together to provide everyone in society with “a fair and just opportunity to live their healthiest life possible,” as Continue reading [...]

By Ashish K. Jha What’s the best way to organize a healthcare delivery system? We in the U.S. are once again having a major debate over how to ensure that all Americans get high-quality healthcare at a price that is affordable. For some, this means “Medicare For All,” while others are deeply skeptical that a Continue reading [...]

The following is an interview with Kathy Ko Chin, MS, President and CEO of the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum, a national health justice organization which influences policy, mobilizes communities, and strengthens programs and organizations to improve the health of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. She’ll be speaking as a panelist at Continue reading [...]