“I’m not going to make any apologies for saying certain foods
hurt you. Because if we don’t get a handle on what’s going on, we’re going to be among the sickest people on the planet.
’’ —DR. TERRY MASON (BS ’74)
if we don’t get a handle on what’s going on, we’re going to be among the sickest people on the planet.” Even with better education about nutri-
tion, he recognizes the challenges of chang- ing people’s eating habits. A proliferation of processed foods fills grocery store shelves. Corporations focus their marketing efforts on kids, pushing sugary drinks and salty snacks adorned with cartoon characters. An abundance of fast food restaurants provide a convenient dinner option for families that are seemingly always on the go. In his role as a public health official, Mason
sees an opportunity to take a community- based approach to the problem in suburban Cook County. And in searching for a local partner to assist in working toward solutions, he turned to his own alma mater. Loyola has identified the need for collab-
orative and creative solutions to community health disparities as a key priority of “Plan 2020: Building a More Just, Humane, and Sustainable World,” the University’s five-year strategic plan. Leaders at Loyola’s Health Sciences Division in Maywood are working to identify local health concerns, and the recent Health-EQ conference—at which Mason was among the keynote speakers—took the first steps in developing strategies to tackle these issues (see story at right). Mason sees the Maywood community
as a sort of “living laboratory” to test out potential solutions to suburban public health issues. Maywood doesn’t have a grocery store, and processed foods are much more accessible to families than natural, healthier options. There’s also a general lack of knowl- edge about nutrition among many families. “If we could begin to work out some of the
issues in Maywood,” says Mason, “we may be able to develop a blueprint for how we can
26 LOYOLA UNIVERSITY CHICAGO
transform communities all over the country.” Solutions may include things like teaching kids how to plant and grow their own veg- etables or helping families find ways to cook healthier meals at home. But Mason understands that food isn’t the
only concern in Maywood. Communities that become food deserts, he says, often lack oth- er vital resources like quality schools, social services, and affordable housing. Convincing people to adjust their diets is only one piece of the puzzle. That’s where Loyola becomes such a
valued partner. Among the strategies of Plan 2020 is a collaboration across disci- plines to address health disparities, and Mason believes that’s just what a town like Maywood needs. He sees opportunities to bring together experts from schools across the University—such as law, education, social work, and business—to work together on a range of issues that impact people’s health. “We could come up with a model where we can empower people, create jobs, help improve housing, and recreate stability in communities,” Mason says. Such long-term collaborative efforts can
make a significant difference over time. In the more immediate future, Mason just wants people to rethink what’s on their plates. Documentaries like Forks Over Knives and Food, Inc. have increased awareness about the consequences of our food choices, and vegan movements have gained steam in promoting a plant-based diet. But to really make a difference, Mason believes such voic- es need help in reaching a larger audience. “That’s what I want to do, and I think an
academic partner like Loyola can help create a platform for this,” Mason says. “Loyola can be an academic leader in really changing the world, one bite at a time.” L
CREATING F
inding collaborative solutions to community health disparities is among the key priorities of “Plan 2020: Building a More Just, Hu- mane, and Sustainable World,” Loyola’s five-year strategic plan. The first steps toward that goal were taken this spring when faculty, staff, and students from
the Loyola community came together to learn about the reality of local health inequalities and to brainstorm ways to reduce those disparities. The first ever Health-EQ Conference, held at the Center
for Translational Research and Education in Maywood, began a discussion to set priorities for health disparities initiatives at Loyola. “We are looking to go beyond the walls of this building to tackle persistent societal chal- lenges and provide assistance to those in need,” said Mar- garet Callahan, provost of the Health Sciences Division. Kicking off the conference were three speakers who
are each working to improve the health needs of those in the greater Chicagoland area: Julie Morita, commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health; Terry Mason (BS ’74), COO of the Cook Country Department of Public Health; and Bechara Choucair, senior vice president of Safety Net Transformation and Community Health at Trinity Health. Each expert addressed the health in- equalities they see in their work and the challenges they face in trying to create greater health equity. Morita outlined the city’s Healthy Chicago 2.0 plan,
which includes goals such as lowering the teen birth rate, increasing school attendance rates among home- less and LGTBQ youth, and making housing affordable for all. She said that establishing equity is about more than providing equal treatment; it requires taking into account things like where people live and their unique circumstances. “We’re trying to focus on (asking), what does each person need to have a good outcome?” she said. “We’re making sure we’re targeting our resources and efforts towards those who need it the most so they can have healthy and successful lives.” Choucair noted that Trinity’s hospitals are focusing
more on getting out into the communities and learn- ing people’s health needs rather than just seeing them for hospital visits. “We’re deploying community health workers to specifically help people living in poverty,” said Choucair. “In one case they helped a woman modify her home so she would be able to wash her hair in the sink by herself. That was important to her, and improved her quality of life, and in turn, her health.”
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