BROOKLYN HEALTH REPORT TO BE PRESENTED NOV. 1
Oct 24, 2007
New Report Examines Underlying Causes
Defying the notion that poverty, lack of health insurance, and other socioeconomic factors alone contribute to health disparities in disadvantaged communities, a new report by researchers at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University reveals that how people view their health and what they do to improve it may be equally important in determining health outcomes.
The report and its impacts on the health care needs of the city’s most populous borough will be presented to community leaders and health care providers during a forum on Thursday Nov. 1 2007 at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University.
For media inquiries, contact:
Garry Pierre-Pierre
718-270-3866 (phone)/917-886-6654(cell)
gpierre-pierre@downstate.edu
The report, Brooklyn Community Health, presents a comparative look at Brooklyn and its 11 neighborhoods, highlighting those with the greatest unmet health and social needs. Each neighborhood profile provides readers with information at a glance on average income, education levels, family makeup, English-speaking ability, and other social and demographic characteristics.
As the report shows, Coney Island/Sheepshead Bay, a neighborhood with one of the largest concentrations of residents over 65, has one of the lowest vaccination rates against pneumonia—a leading killer among the elderly. Conversely, in Sunset Park, where a large percentage of residents say they can neither afford health insurance nor a personal doctor, the use of preventive health screenings is better than average.
In communities under the most economic and social stress, residents tend to rate their health as poor. This is true of Williamsburg/Bushwick, East New York, and Greenpoint, which have the highest percentages of single mothers with young children living in poverty, families without health insurance, and residents who do not have a high school diploma.
The report is a compilation of data from the 2000 US Census as well as the Community Health Surveys conducted by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
In addition to Brooklyn Community Health, SUNY Downstate has produced reports on asthma, cancer, maternal and infant health, substance abuse, violence, and other health matters of interest to Brooklyn residents, health professionals and community leaders
###
About SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University
Downstate Health Sciences University in Brooklyn is one of four academic health centers (AMCs) in The State University of New York (SUNY) 64-campus system and the only SUNY AMC in New York City dedicated to health education, research, and patient care for the borough’s 2.7 million residents. Its flagship hospital, University Hospital at Downstate (UHD), is a teaching hospital and benefits from the expertise of Downstate’s exceptional medical school and world-class academic center research facilities. With a staff of over 800 physicians representing 53 specialties and subspecialties, Downstate offers comprehensive healthcare services to the community.
UHD provides high-risk neonatal and infant services, pediatric nephrology, and dialysis for kidney diseases and is the only kidney transplantation program in Brooklyn. Beyond its clinical expertise, Downstate houses a range of esteemed educational institutions, including its College of Medicine, College of Nursing, School of Health Professions, School of Graduate Studies, and School of Public Health. Downstate fosters innovation through its multifaceted biotechnology initiative, the Biotechnology Incubator and BioBAT, which support early-stage and more mature biotech companies.