How does where you live affect your health? The answer is quite a bit. Access to essential services varies from place to place. Additionally, other factors, such as the economy and political environment, influence the availability of certain types of care in specific regions. Finally, environmental factors affect overall well-being. Being aware of these factors can help you safeguard your health. Here you will find everything you need to know about the geography of health and its impact on well-being.
City versus rural
Both urban and rural living have advantages and disadvantages when it comes to your overall health. One factor is access to green spaces. Scientists continue to discover new ways that spending time in nature improves human health, and lack of it can have adverse effects, especially in sensitive people.
However, getting around on foot, by bike or by public transport is easier in the city. Even walking to the bus stop increases your daily step count and you may not need a car at all. Rural distances are often long and roads are equipped only for cars, with nowhere for pedestrians to travel safely.
Health care services are also abundant in the city, while access to specialized treatments can take months in rural areas. People in rural areas may have to travel hundreds of miles and pay for hotels to receive the care they need, meaning many go without.
Access to services makes a huge difference in an aging population. For example, 25% of New Yorkers will be 60 or older by 2030. Rather than having to travel to the “big city” to see a specialist, many would prefer to live somewhere where they can receive treatment close to home.
North against South
You’re more likely to be a little healthier if you live in the north. This rule applies to the United States and around the world, although there are variations within regions. According to Optimal Health Index scores compiled by the National Institutes of Health, older adults in the North live at 86% of their optimal health, compared to 82% for those in Southern states.
Additionally, women in the South are less likely to have access to reproductive health services after the overturning of Roe v. Wade, which can seriously affect your health.
Globally, climate change has most severely impacted the global South, with devastating effects on human health. It contributes to low crop yields, hunger, displaced communities, poverty and widespread unrest. This region experiences more natural disasters but lacks the infrastructure to prepare for worsening storms.
Across the pond
Living in Europe or one of the many other nations with universal healthcare can, unsurprisingly, increase your life expectancy. Life expectancy is significantly higher across the pond, while that of Americans has declined in many regions, thanks to unequal access to health care. Unlike other countries, the United States’ for-profit health care system buries many in medical debt or prevents them from seeking medical care if they cannot afford coverage or co-pays.
It’s also easier to know your options across the pond. For example, in the United States, it is advisable to speak with an independent Medicare agent so that seniors know their options for supplemental coverage. However, these companies can be predatory in their sales approach, reaching out to older adults who don’t understand the difference between a preferred provider organization and a health maintenance organization, locking them into plans that may limit their treatment options.
By zip code
Once you become familiar with your locality, you can often guess the relative health of the area’s residents. The ease with which this can be observed speaks to the enormous inequality in access to health care in the United States.
Much of the disparity comes down to the social determinants of health. For example, the following factors may affect your well-being as much or more than having a hospital nearby:
- Socioeconomic status: Those living in poverty are more likely to live in dilapidated buildings with health risks, such as mold. They are also more likely to live in highly polluted areas and lack access to safe outdoor green spaces for physical exercise.
- Food deserts: It’s hard to eat fresh, whole foods when the only items occupying store shelves are ultra-processed convenience products. Food deserts have a direct impact on health by preventing people from obtaining adequate nutrition and promoting chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
- Educational level: Those with better access to safe schools and quality education are more likely to take proactive steps to protect their health. Access to sexuality education also varies and is especially vital for young women. Knowing how to prevent unwanted pregnancies can greatly improve health outcomes, but some people never learn about the “birds and the bees” from their parents or school.
Although most Americans agree that the health care system needs major reform, people disagree about how to decrease inequality and improve outcomes. Any change would require reworking the current system and redistributing resources to ensure everyone has access to the care they need.
Geography of health and its impact on well-being
Where you live can have a decisive impact on your overall health. From access to necessary services to well-being amenities like green spaces and stores stocked with healthy foods, how well you feel depends in part on where you are in the world.
