Health Benefits of Community: Why Your Health Could Benefit from Community Involvement
You're looking for ways to improve your health and the lives of your family.
But, you’ve tried several things and nothing seems to be working.
Did you know that getting more involved in your community could have amazing health benefits?
This guide explains where to start and everything you need to know about the astounding health benefits of community involvement.
Let’s first talk about the Roseto Effect.
The Roseto Effect
The Roseto Effect is an anomaly that is known to occur in close-knit communities. This term came from research completed on a small town in Pennsylvania.
According to the Chicago Tribune, Dr. Stewart Wolf and John G. Bruhn researched the people in this community and found that they had reduced heart problems compared to other communities.
Wolf found that there was a very low crime rate and zero applications submitted for community assistance. This was because there wasn’t a need for crime or assistance because the community took care of each other.
The people in this community had a strong work ethic all working toward a common goal. They ate well and shared meals together.
Wolf believes that people nourish people and therefore, the community is vital to our health.
Why Were Roseto Residents Healthier Than Those Who
The Roseto residents were healthier than similar neighborhoods because of how close they were as a community.
The Blue Zone project is working toward this goal and bettering the lives of people in its communities. As a result, Blue Zone communities have:
● Reduced obesity and smoking
● A lower number of health care claims
● Longer life expectancy
● Eliminated the risk of some chronic health factors
● And more
Things that can help aid in a healthier community and overall, better lifestyle include:
● Affordable housing
● Healthy living habits like the use of bike paths and community centers
● Health care facilities
● Good eating habits
● Children’s activities
● Community-based literacy programs
We should spread awareness of the benefits of community partnerships in healthcare so that more and more people will begin to follow the path of a healthier lifestyle.
Healthier habits in a community are better for everyone. Hence the direct correlation with a longer life span and a stronger local economy.
● Healthy eating habits lead to improved physical health
● Prevention of chronic stress and disease
● Healthy exercise leading to a healthier overall lifestyle
Now that we know how important community health is, let’s talk about what it is and how to get started.
What is Community Health?
Have you ever volunteered or participated in outreach activities within a school, church, or sports organization?
If so, you have probably participated in a community health activity before.
Community health is the practice of volunteering, teaching, and informing others in order to protect and improve the mental and physical health within a community.
Does your school have a community garden? Does your church offer volunteer opportunities?
Many people make it their mission to help others in their community. As a result, the health benefits within communities are improving making it easier for people to live a wholesome life.
Why are Health Benefits at the Community Level
Health benefits at the community level are significant and therefore, it is vital that we understand the importance of participation in health promotion.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, community health programs have significantly reduced health issues in adults and children. This allows families and entire communities to live happier, healthier lives.
A healthier community means healthier lifestyles. Let’s talk about what you can do to improve your lifestyle at the community level.
Families who want to enhance their life make smarter daily choices. You can start by making these simple changes:
● When you go out to eat, select vegetables or fruit instead of french fries
● Decrease time spent with electronics and be present with your loved ones
● Walk to school or work instead of taking the car
● Stand instead of sit
● Take a walk on your lunch break and spend a few minutes relaxing
● Spend time with other people who make you happy
As you make these changes you will have more energy to spend time with your family and friends and miss fewer days of work due to sickness. The health benefits of the community increase the quality of life, which equates to a happier, more energetic life.
Components That Improve the Health of a Community
According to UNLV, there are several components that are essential to ensure a healthy community.
One major component includes healthy eating habits. Certainly, community health programs can help give people greater access to healthy food options, wholesome recipes, and information about adequate food guidelines you should follow.
Other major components include:
● Less crime and increased safety
● Community access to bike paths, parks, and recreational facilities
● Access to good health care facilities
● Affordable housing
That last one may not be as obvious, but let’s look at it a little closer.
What does the design of a community have to do with community health?
The design of the community you live in can be detrimental or beneficial to your health.
Think about it:
Your environment shapes your health more than you know.
Let’s look at Jack and Lucy as examples.
His community does not have bike paths and the sidewalks are dangerous, with broken cement and overgrown plants every few feet. He never walks to work because he doesn’t feel safe.
According to Blue Zones, People who live near safe parks and bike trails are more likely to use them. The activity level can be raised 30% by optimizing the design of the community.
Since bike trails are safer than walking on a street, people may be more likely to walk or bike to work and school.
Unlike Jack, Lucy recently moved to a community with bike paths, bridges, and a park. Lucy now takes more walks with her family to the park and walks to work when the weather is nice. She doesn’t have to worry about crossing a busy street because she can use the bridge.
This sense of safety has improved her health and enjoyment because she now makes healthier decisions and is more active in her daily life.
Components That are Detrimental to the Health of a Community
There are things that can be detrimental to the health of its residents such as:
Crime
Unhealthy competition among neighbors, i.e. Keeping up with the Joneses
Unhealthy habits like smoking
People can spread awareness and implement programs that help change some of these harmful attributes and improve health in many ways.
Improved Mental Health
According to the World Health Organization, 450 million people suffer from mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, and bipolar.
There is a wide range of positive impacts that community health programs can have which improves the quality of life, giving people a sense of purpose and direction.
The benefits of community-based mental health services are essential to help combat this. These programs can help reduce the feeling of hopelessness which can cause aggressive or delinquent behaviors.
Volunteering and completing small acts of kindness can improve your own mental health and those in your community.
Are you unsure about where to volunteer?
Here are some great ideas:
● Start with the local school or church. Ask them what they are doing. Often times you can help feed the homeless or visit nursing homes.
● Consider starting your own volunteer group. Gather your friends and head over to the local food pantry. The hospitals often need volunteers as well.
● Ask your neighbors and friends to help you clean up the neighborhood or make your sick neighbor some homemade soup.
You will be surprised at how well volunteering and helping others can help your own mental health.
Why is Improved Mental Health a Health Benefit of Community?
Improved mental health is a health benefit of a community because it improves the lives of the community in several ways.
According to an article posted in NCBI, community involvement can improve the overall health of our communities by decreasing the chances of:
Abuse
Homelessness
Criminal behavior
Psychosis; improving the overall health of our communities
Above all, it is important to be around like-minded, positive, people who are doing good and find value in helping others.
Volunteering for your church, school, or sports organization can be a great way to combat mental health challenges. For example, schools often offer awareness and support groups for families. Ask them how you can get involved.
Community involvement and health awareness can result in improved mental health not only for the community but for the people who are volunteering as well.
Reduce Chronic Stress
Mindfulness has been shown in many studies to reduce chronic stress and other chronic health issues in communities. Improvements were found in people with fibromyalgia, chronic pain, chronic fatigue, type 2 diabetes, etc.
No negative result was found when practicing Mindfulness.
According to Dr. Joe Dispenza, stress can be deadly and therefore, it is important to reduce stress to be able to live happier, healthier lives.
Community health can drastically reduce chronic stress and illness, therefore it is essential to be involved in your community by helping others. Teaching people how to live a healthy life the community can, as a result, reduce stress.
Why Can Community Involvement or Awareness Be a Health Benefit of Community?
Could your neighbors be the key to your good health?
Yes, they can! Neighbors are far more important than people often realize. Neighbors can enhance our health and our life.
I remember when I was young, everyone in the neighborhood used to know each other. My mom would send me over to the neighbors to borrow cooking supplies. We would have yard sales and parties together. We were a close community.
Now, when I look around, people don’t know their neighbors. My neighbors seem to rush inside their house when they get home from work. It feels isolated. This new way of living can negatively impact our health. In fact, you may have already been affected without realizing it.
According to Ben Greenfield, in order to improve the mental health of your community. You can do many things including:
Volunteer with your school, church, or other organization
Throw a dinner party
Go to a meetup
Attend church activities
Renew lost family relationships
Reclaim real conversation
What is real conversation?
According to Greenfield, real conversation means putting down the phone and being present in the moment with the people you know and love.
Because our world is overtaken by electronics, you will often see people on their phones at the dinner table rather than engaging with their friends and family.
People are always on their phone, tablet, or computer. Social media was originally intended to help friends keep in touch. And it has many great uses. You may even have friends on your social media accounts from elementary school. It is nice to keep in touch - when there is a balance
The problem is we are becoming desensitized to the people and our world around us.
Many people text or talk to their friends through social media, rather than spending time together. Even if people are “with” their friends they are often on their phone.
Look around the next time you go out and start to pay attention.
What you see may surprise you.
I have seen a mom on her phone, walking to the movie theater, with her children trailing far behind her. It is scary to think about what could happen because she isn’t paying attention.
The last time I went to a restaurant, I saw a family of four on their phones. Not one person was engaged in conversation with the other.
Not only is spending time on our phones detrimental to our mental health it is also causing problems with our physical health.
Real conversation can be beneficial not only for your mental health but also your physical health.
Improved Physical Health
Improved physical health has a correlation to community health programs.
Things like bike trails, parks, and recreational facilities improve the overall physical health of the community.
There are several types of community health programs that individuals, organizations, and businesses can take part in. In order to save communities from an unhealthy way of living the following is essential:
Preventative health measures for illnesses and diseases
Vaccination awareness
Sleep awareness
Exercising and healthy living
Children’s Healthy activities
Community Gardening
Why is Improved Physical Health a Health Benefit of Community?
Improved physical health is important to a community because people who quit smoking and lose weight can save millions in healthcare costs and miss fewer days of work due to illness. This improves our local economy.
It can be difficult to get people to change their old habits and start living healthy. People need to want to change or have the motivation to do so.
People of a community can often change their habits more easily because they become engaged with other people who are living the same way.
According to NCBI, community health can be vital to our lives and therefore, will require active learning and social support. Due to this, I recommend that you get involved in community health programs helping to improve your life and the life of your community.
“We can be the architects of people’s decisions,” said Kawachi, “so that the natural choice tends to be the healthier one.”
— Madeline Drexler
Want to learn more?
Check out our free Clarity Council workshops and start living a healthier lifestyle today. Don’t forget to download our free meditation daily planner below.
