By AARON WERNHAM, MD

The United States spent $2.5 trillion on health care in 2009, more per capita than any other nation. Yet our country is ranked 32nd in the world in life expectancy, and rates of conditions such as diabetes and obesity have increased dramatically in recent years.

If we hope to address spiraling medical costs and improve the health of all Americans, we need to begin focusing on the policies — in fields such as transportation, energy, education and agriculture — that shape the world outside the doctor’s office.

But how? Policymakers are already juggling shrinking budgets, crumbling infrastructure and competing priorities. A recently released report from the National Research Council offers a solution. The study, “A Framework and Guidance for Health Impact Assessment,” points out that good health is determined by more than money spent on the health care system. An NRC committee on health impact assessments, of which I am a member, took an in-depth look at why they are needed.

Similar to the way a Congressional Budget Office score predicts the fiscal impact of a proposed policy, an HIA identifies the likely effect on health of a decision in another field, such as building a major roadway, revitalizing a neighborhood or developing energy or agricultural policy. HIAs can help decision-makers identify unintended risks, reduce unnecessary costs and leverage opportunities to improve the health of their communities.

As a doctor, I’ve often cared for diabetics who struggle to follow exercise recommendations because there’s nowhere nearby that’s safe to exercise. I’ve seen patients with frequent asthma attacks exacerbated by living in housing with mold and poor ventilation. I’ve given diet advice to parents of overweight children, only to find that they live in a neighborhood with no grocery store for miles and eat school lunches that should but often don’t meet current nutrition guidance. Continue reading “The Key to Improving Our Health? Look Beyond Health Care.”