COLUMBUS, Ohio — A new report from The Columbus Foundation highlighted various areas of improvement for the Columbus metropolitan region.
When it comes to public health, the report said, “The Columbus metropolitan region has some of the poorest health outcomes among other regions measured in the report, calling into question the underlying factors affecting population health.”
“There are strong links between income people have and their health outcomes,” said Amy Rohling McGee, president of the Health Policy Institute of Ohio.
McGee said she thinks one of the biggest factors of the poor health outcomes is money.
“It’s whether you have enough income to meet your basic needs, whether you can afford safe and affordable housing, whether you have transportation to get where you need to go for health appointments,” said McGee.
When it comes to poverty, the report said Columbus ranks fifth, compared to 22 other cities similar in size.
The report said 12% of the population in Columbus lives below the poverty line.
“There are so many folks who have lower or moderate incomes that are just one healthcare issue away from bankruptcy. Who are just one crisis away from not having enough money to meet basic needs,” said McGee.
But what about solutions?
LifeCare Alliance is a part of the solution to better the health outcomes of Ohioans. Right now, they have over 30,000 people they help serve.
They provide meals, wellness clinics and supportive services for seniors in our community.
“We see people all the time who are just trying to understand how to get better. They don’t go to physicians regularly or the emergency room because they are afraid of the bill they are going to get,” said Chuck Gehring, president and CEO of LifeCare Alliance.
Gehring believes the solution is more resources.
“Better food, better nutrition and better healthcare,” said Gehring.