Christine
Social and Community Context:
Empowering Girls Through Mountain Biking: Christine's Journey from Corporate to Coach
In this inspiring episode of "K Elizabeth Toasts," host K Elizabeth sits down with Christine, a former corporate professional turned volunteer mountain bike cycling coach and mentor. With a passion for enriching the lives of girls and young women, Christine shares her transition from corporate life to the exhilarating world of mountain biking. The podcast delves into the significance of learning essential skills for safe mountain biking, emphasizing three essentials. Christine also introduces Team 612, a youth composite team that offers an inclusive, no-cut policy, ensuring every child has the opportunity to ride, practice, and race. This episode not only highlights the positive impact of mountain biking on the social and community context of the Social Determinants of Health but also encourages listeners to seek out activities that foster both personal growth and community involvement.
One of the five SDoH is social and community context. Having strong relationships and connections with relatives, acquaintances, colleagues, and neighbors can have a positive impact on people's physical and mental health. These relationships can also help reduce the negative effects of challenges and dangers that are beyond people's control, such as living in unsafe neighborhoods or experiencing discrimination. However, some people, such as children whose parents are incarcerated or who are bullied, may not have access to the support they need to thrive. By promoting positive relationships at home, school, work, and in the community, interventions can help improve health and overall quality of life.
Healthy People 2030 is the fifth iterative of a 40+ year initiative to help communities, organizations, and individuals improve American’s health and well-being. One of the key goals of Healthy People 2030 is to highlight the importance of the 5 Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) in increasing equity and reducing disparities in health; one of the five goals of Healthy People 2030 is directly related to the SDoH to “create social, physical, and economic environments that promote attaining the full potential for health and well-being for all” (Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, Office of the Secretary, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services).
The SDoH are the non-medical factors and environmental conditions where people are born, live, learn, work, play, and age. The SDoH influence up to 55% of our health outcomes including a wide range of health, functioning, and quality-of-life outcomes and risks.
One of the five SDoH is social and community context. Having strong relationships and connections with relatives, acquaintances, colleagues, and neighbors can have a positive impact on people's physical and mental health. These relationships can also help reduce the negative effects of challenges and dangers that are beyond people's control, such as living in unsafe neighborhoods or experiencing discrimination. However, some people, such as children whose parents are incarcerated or who are bullied, may not have access to the support they need to thrive. By promoting positive relationships at home, school, work, and in the community, interventions can help improve health and overall quality of life.
Episode Resources:
US Department of Health and Human Services’ Healthy People 2030: SDoH
Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, Office of the Secretary, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Social Determinants of Health
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