The Culture of Health Program
Everyone in this country deserves the opportunity to be healthy and reach their full potential no matter who they are or where they live.
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Bridging the Science of Health Equity with Action Towards Systems Change
About the Program
The National Academy of Medicine’s Culture of Health Program, funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, is a multiyear collaborative effort to identify strategies to create and sustain conditions that support equitable good health for everyone in America. The program focuses on four approaches that build upon and reinforce each other:
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Important Definitions
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Why Health Equity Matters
Some groups face barriers to reaching their full potential to be healthy, based on factors like where they live or their race, ethnicity, or gender, that have a direct and negative impact on their health. These barriers are not random or accidental. They are a direct result of policy decisions, from the national to the institutional level, and structures that create and sustain social and economic inequality and structural racism in this country. Policies and structures determine whose air and water is clean; who has access to good schools, jobs, and affordable housing; where parks, grocery stores, and hospitals are located; which communities are safe to be active outdoors; and much more. All of these factors play a critical role in shaping people’s health and well-being. Sustainable change to eliminate barriers to good health starts with a focus on addressing these underlying factors.
Addressing the underlying causes of inequity requires understanding that certain populations in the U.S. experience worse health trajectories even when controlling for socioeconomic status, based on marginalization and oppression, and how our systems and structures are set up to privilege some populations over others. The U.S. has an extraordinary opportunity to advance health equity by bringing the science, knowledge, and community wisdom to uncover areas of structural racism and unequal allocation of resources that are root causes of health inequities.
We need to recognize and understand the ways in which new and existing policies and practices impact the health of people and communities differently, especially those most affected by structural racism. Acknowledging structural racism and unequal allocation of power and resources as root causes of health inequity in this country does not exclude the significance of other factors such as gender or disability status. Ultimately, understanding how the environments and experiences of different groups are shaped by the unique barriers and biases they face – starting with structural racism and then layering additional lenses – can improve the health of the entire nation. Together we can create evidence-based solutions that address the root causes of inequity and promote health and well-being for all.
Program Highlights
Staff
Amy Gyau-Moyer, Director, Senior Program Officer
Kimber Bogard, Deputy Executive Officer
Jessica Covington, Assistant to the Deputy Executive Officer
Anita Desikan, Program Officer
Katherine Foster, Senior Program Assistant
Samantha Phillips, Communications Officer
Elisabeth Solomon, Research Assistant
Shaneah Taylor, Deputy Director of Programs
Want to get involved? Building a culture of health requires the involvement of many stakeholders. To learn more about the NAM’s Culture of Health Program, contact [email protected]. You can also join our mailing list for program updates.
