Finding Your Data:

Before diving into the specific questions, it’s important to identify relevant data sources for your community. Here’s how the suggested websites can help:

• County Health Rankings: Provides data on various health outcomes across counties in the US.
• Community Commons: Offers resources and data on community health.
• HealthyPeople.gov: A national website with health objectives and data for various health topics.
• San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency (if applicable): If you’re in San Diego County, this website may have specific data for your area.
• Data.gov Data Catalog: A searchable catalog of government data sets on various topics, potentially including health.

Exploring the 3-4-50 Model:

1. Behavior Impact on Diseases:

The 3-4-50 model identifies three unhealthy behaviors:

• Unhealthy diet (high in saturated fats, sugar, and sodium)
• Sedentary lifestyle (lack of physical activity)
• Tobacco use

These behaviors contribute to four chronic diseases:

• Cardiovascular disease (heart disease, stroke)
• Cancer
• Chronic lower respiratory disease (COPD, emphysema)
• Diabetes

Let’s explore how these behaviors impact the diseases in your community:

• Unhealthy diet increases bad cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar, leading to all four diseases.
• Sedentary lifestyle weakens the heart, reduces lung capacity, and contributes to obesity, increasing risk for all four diseases.
• Tobacco use damages blood vessels, lungs, and cells, significantly increasing the risk of all four diseases.

2. Mortality Rates:

Using the resources listed above, search for data on mortality rates for the four chronic diseases in your specific city or county. This might be available in tables or reports. Examples:

• County Health Rankings: Look for mortality data under “Health Outcomes” for your county.
• CDC WONDER database (accessible through Data.gov): Allows you to search for mortality data by location and cause of death.

3. Percentage of Deaths:

Once you find mortality rates for the four diseases, calculate the total number of deaths from these causes and divide it by the total number of deaths in your community. This will give you an estimate of the percentage of deaths caused by these four diseases.

4. Social Determinants of Health:

These are social and economic factors that influence health outcomes. For the 3-4-50 model, some influencing factors may include:

• Access to healthy and affordable food: Food deserts (lack of grocery stores with fresh produce) can contribute to unhealthy diets.
• Safe neighborhoods and parks: Unsafe neighborhoods may discourage physical activity.
• Cost of healthy living: Expensive gym memberships can limit physical activity opportunities.
• Education and income levels: Lower income and education may limit access to healthy food and knowledge about healthy habits.

5. Health Disparities:

Look for data on how the burden of these diseases falls on different groups within your community. This may be available on County Health Rankings or local health department websites. Look for disparities by factors like:

• Race/ethnicity
• Income level
• Education level

6. Walkability Index:

Many online tools offer walkability scores for specific neighborhoods. Search for “walkability score” and your zip code or address.

7. Recommendations:

Based on the data you gather, consider these recommendations:

• Increase access to healthy food: Advocate for policies that encourage grocery stores with fresh produce in underserved areas.
• Promote physical activity: Support initiatives for safe parks, bike lanes, and affordable recreational programs.
• Public health education: Encourage community-based programs on healthy eating and physical activity.
• Address social determinants: Advocate for policies that promote economic opportunity and access to healthcare