Structural Foundations of Health (Part 2)

January 28, 2026

Today

Policy & health
Labor conditions
Community vs. population assessments
Group exercise (20 min)

7. Policy & Health

7. Policy Examples

Policies that promote health:

EITC (income support)
Medicaid expansion
Paid leave

Policies that harm health:

Mass incarceration
Restrictive zoning

Policy decisions have measurable health consequences

7. Medicaid Expansion Impact

8. Labor Conditions

8. Work Affects Health

Physical hazards:

Chemical exposures
Repetitive strain
Injury risk

Psychosocial hazards:

High demand + low control
Effort-reward imbalance
Job insecurity

Environmental exposures:

Pesticides
Toxic chemicals
Heat stress

8. Gig Economy

Precarious work = precarious health

9. Community vs. Population Assessments

9. Two Approaches

Community Assessment

Specific neighborhood
Involves residents
Assets + needs
Action plan

Example: South Side Chicago food deserts

Population Assessment

Larger area
Administrative data
Disease patterns
Surveillance

Example: CDC state diabetes rates

Both answer different questions

Group Exercise

Community Analysis (20 min)

Your task:

Analyze your community scenario
Identify top 3 structural determinants
Recommend 1 intervention
Present in 2 minutes

Community Analysis (20 min)

Groups:

Group Gupta: Rural coal town
Group Wakefield: Urban food desert
Group Pasteur: Immigrant community
Group Nightingale: Native reservation
Group Fauci: Gentrifying neighborhood

Analysis Framework

Consider:

Social: Capital, discrimination
Economic: Income, jobs
Environmental: Built environment, hazards
Policy: Housing, labor, healthcare

Be specific! Use scenario details

Next Class

Monday: Quiz + Measuring population health

Thank you!

Now: Break into groups