By Ellie DeGarmo, B.A., Junior Policy Associate Can the well-being of a community be measured? Can it be quantified? The Siena College Research Institute (SCRI) developed a way to do both. In May 2017, SCRI conducted a public opinion survey of 1,000 New York State (NYS) residents, as a statewide community. The survey comprised 80 questions, categorized in groups, addressing …
Partners in Health: Community Food Programs and Hospital Partnerships in New York
Heart disease, diabetes, and obesity are among the serious conditions that can result from a poor diet. Creating healthy food environments is vital to preventing these serious conditions and promoting the well-being of our communities. Hospitals and community-based organizations play a critical part in promoting food environments that support healthy eating. This is why, on May 15, 2017 from 10 …
Supervised Injection Facilities: A Controversial but Proven Solution to a Deadly Epidemic
By Amanda Li and Michele Calvo In 1995, at the peak of the United States’ HIV/AIDS epidemic, 43,115 people died from the disease within that one year alone. Now, in 2017, we are facing an even deadlier epidemic: the opioid crisis. Drug overdoses are currently taking more lives than the HIV/AIDS epidemic did at its peak; in 2015 alone, over …
Place Based Approaches to Health Disparities Learning Collaborative
By Amanda Li, B.A., Junior Policy Associate Did you know: That African Americans represent 43% of New York State’s AIDS cases, even though they make up only 14% of New York’s total population? That Asian Americans are three times more likely to have liver cancer than non-Hispanic Whites? That over a third of Hispanics in the country do not have …
A 750 Mile Plan to Safer Cycling and Better Health
By Amanda Li, B.A., Junior Policy Associate Increasing cardiovascular health, building muscle strength, enhancing flexibility, promoting joint mobility, reducing stress and anxiety…this is by no means an exhaustive list but gives you an idea of the health benefits that come with cycling. Cycling is a cheap, fun, and low-impact form of exercise that people of all ages can enjoy to …