Preventing Chronic Diseases: Eliminating Obstacles to Healthy Living

Chronic diseases touch one of every two U.S. adults and account for 86 percent of our nation’s health spending. However, many chronic diseases may also be preventable by reducing the social risk factors such as lower educational attainment, food insecurity and poverty that play a role in their development. How can innovative partnerships address risk factors and help eliminate the obstacles to healthy living?

This webinar explored strategies for preventing chronic diseases and consider the drivers of poor health. Speakers discussed:

• Evidence-based strategies that are transforming environments – from schools to worksites – to support healthy choices
• How social workers are addressing social determinants of health and partnering with paramedics to reduce ED visits and readmissions
• Partnerships between primary care and community-based organizations to improve housing conditions and target racial disparities in maternal and infant mortality
• Opportunities for Medicare Advantage to cover non-medical services and curb the cost of chronic disease