Addressing Health Disparities from a Public Policy Perspective

This study is a multi-level analysis of public policy and social conditions and their impact on the health of individuals in Flint communities. Specifically, this study examines the health effects created by the establishment and operation of the Genesee County Land Bank. A land bank is a public authority created and funded by local governments to efficiently hold, manage and develop tax-foreclosed property. The City of Flint currently has over 12,000 vacant lots. The city, through the land bank, is exploring options to transform these vacant areas back into productive use. Some of the suggested uses for the land include urban agriculture such as tree nurseries, farming, bio-fuel crops; waste management such as deconstructing demolished homes and large scale composting; and new small parks and community gardens. To assist in the analysis, we used a complex model that assigned health determinants into proximal, intermediate, and distal factors. Distal factors focus on social conditions and policies. Proximal factors refer to individuals and biological responses such as hypertension and obesity. Data was collected from two land bank programs (Adopt a Lot and Clean & Green) to determine the number and location of community/ individual gardens. Data was also collected on land use restrictions, and hazardous sites. This data was merged with data collected from the U.S. Census and the Speak to Your Health Community Survey which included education level, age, racial composition, diabetes rate and obesity rate. The results showed that Flint residents were more likely to participate in gardening (14%) than residents who lived in other areas of Genesee County (10.6%). African-Americans were twice as likely to participate in gardening as whites; in addition, African-Americans in Flint showed lower rates of obesity than those in surrounding parts of Genesee county.