Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine reminded residents that there is one week left to comment on the department’s State Health Assessment, which was created based on the health of Pennsylvanians and aims to help improve overall health for everyone.
“The opportunity to live a healthy life is a fundamental human right, which is why it is essential that we work to help everyone achieve their healthiest lives,” Levine said. “The SHA is a comprehensive health assessment that looks at the current health status of Pennsylvanians and is developed using a number of different processes, including community engagement. I encourage every resident to take the time to review our assessment so we can work to develop recommendations regarding public health policy, processes and interventions.”
The health assessment reviews a broad range of indicators of health, conditions to describe health throughout Pennsylvania, and the factors that contribute to disparate health outcomes. This report explores social determinants of health, health equity and eight themes, including:
– Access to care
– Substance use
– Chronic diseases
– Mental health
– Maternal and infant health
– Injury and violence
– Immunizations and infectious diseases
– Environmental health
The assessment is the first in a series of steps to improve the health of Pennsylvania. This report is intended to be used to create discussion, promote ongoing and expanded data analysis, support local health improvement interventions, and inform the next Healthy Pennsylvania Partnership State Health Improvement Plan, which will use these findings to collaboratively select priority health issues and develop intervention strategies to create change in Pennsylvania.
“No single person or organization can address all the health and health equity concerns described in this assessment,” Levine said. “However, working with partners and addressing equitable and upstream needs, will lead to necessary change.”
Pennsylvania residents can review the new assessment and provide feedback through a survey by Dec. 7.
Contact RA-SHA@pa.gov with any questions.
