Public Health in Oregon - Join The Conversation

It is amazing what we can learn from children. Such simple ideas that could change all out lives, and yet we have put these things so far out of reach, I fear our children will never get a chance to see them. Simply putting in sidewalks would help to reduce chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease and yet it is difficult to get them installed. A few years ago the citizens of Portland asked about sidewalks along SW Vista, and yet there is still not a safe way to walk down that street.

What these children are asking for are simple ideas that could change generations to follow. Putting money into these programs would save us more in the long run. There is little funding for programs for teens to help them finish school, instead of selling drugs and endangering themselves and others. These programs provide jobs instead of jail sentences. It costs about $14000 for a child to attend a year of school, while we pay over $22000 to keep an inmate behind bars per year (tuition for Portland State’s MPH program is about $10000 a year).

In another post about neighborhoods and Type II diabetes, residents of healthy neighborhoods had a decreased risk of Type II diabetes. Some the the variables they researched included easiness to walk places and how pleasant it is to walk there. Neighborhoods that scored high on those scales don’t have drug dealers and lots of pollution, but they do have sidewalks and parks.

We can learn a lot from these children, will we let ourselves to? They aren’t asking for much, just a chance to live a healthy and happy life.

I was fortunate to volunteer at OMSI’s “Crack the Case of Good Health,” in the Community Health Priorities booth pictured above.  I echo the sentiments of the author of this post, most of the children at this event did “get it.”  While my experience volunteering in this booth was positive (I would love to help out again next year), I have two suggestions to make this event more effective. 

First, lets bring this program to elementary schools or other locations where all children can access it.  Let’s face it, OMSI is expensive.  Museum admission for one adult and child will set you back $20, and that’s not counting gas to get there, parking, food, or tickets to the other exhibits.  The children that we saw come to the booth were, therefore, already a select group.  Children from all backgrounds should be given the opportunity to learn about health in a fun and interactive way.  The community partners that organized this event should be applauded for their efforts, but should also be made aware of the obstacles that they created for low-income families by holding this event at a venue that charges for admission. 

Secondly, I would like to see more effort going to engaging parents along with their children.  As noted in this article, the kids already know what it takes to be healthy, its the parents that need education.  I recall several parents instructing their children to “go check it out” while not they pursued other activities.  By providing opportunities for parents to interact in hands-on activities with their children, not only will they learn about health, but they will also see how important health is to their children.  Perhaps they will even listen to their kids the next time they say that they need more sidewalks and playgrounds in their neighborhood.