Detroit Today: Poverty, segregation and racism tied to poor health in Wayne County
A report finds that health outcomes are impacted by civic infrastructure, which Abdul El-Sayed says Wayne County lacks.
The University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute recently published a report that claims civic health is determined in part by a county’s civic infrastructure.
That includes places for people to meet, have their voices heard, engage in cultural activities, enjoy nature and feel a sense of belonging. The same report found that Wayne County has “poor” civic health.
Listen: Why many Wayne County residents have poor health outcomes.
Guest
Dr. Abdul El-Sayed is a former gubernatorial candidate and former executive director of the Detroit Health Department. He is current the health director for Wayne County.
El-Sayed says poor health outcomes in the county are connected with generations of poverty, disinvestment and segregation.
“This is the consequence of generations of failed economic mobility…We know that one of the most important predictors of health is income. And it’s not just income, but also wealth,” says El-Sayed.
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