Incorporating health equity in implementing community-wide initiatives to improve health outcomes for underserved urban populations

A focus on the social determinants of health to improve health outcomes requires strategies that are sustainable at the community, organization, and policy levels. Louisville's Communities Putting Prevention to Work (CPPW) initiative incorporated health equity in their planning, implementation and evaluation efforts which resulted in the identification of 12 predominantly Black underserved urban neighborhoods, with a population of 86,000 and median incomes less than $40,000. The inclusion of health equity considerations in the planning process influenced the selection of 23 school, community and media strategies for the CPPW initiative. This presentation will highlight the strategic planning process and discuss how that planning translated into appropriate policy, systems, and environmental changes such as a corner stores initiative; a complementary Food Fight media campaign encouraging healthy nutrition; and expanded community garden and farmers' market activities to increase availability of fresh produce for residents. The health equity focus is assessed through process evaluation, GIS mapping, an outcomes measurement survey and BRFSS oversampling in these communities. The increased number of corner stores, produce distribution, and social marketing improve access and opportunity for promoting healthy eating for underserved communities in food deserts. Reducing the rates of obesity and improving health outcomes requires increasing availability and affordability of healthy foods within easy walking distance of all populations. Increasing access for underserved communities continues to be a critical need to achieve health equity, and eliminate health disparities; and this presentation will discuss one community's approach.