“Access to Higher Education” Underscores Connection Between College and Improved Health
Santa Cruz Community Health Centers (SCCHC), a leading nonprofit provider of high quality, affordable and comprehensive health services to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay, today announced its third successful Access to Higher Education Workshop was held on September 10 at SCCHC’s East Cliff Family Health Center. This event provided students and their families with easy access to college representatives and higher education resources.
The workshop opened with a presentation by Primavera Hernandez, SCCHC Programs Manager & Health Educator, highlighting the research referenced by the National Poverty Center at the University of Michigan that links a good education with health and longevity.
- Increased education was associated with a decrease in morbidity from acute illnesses and chronic illness such as heart disease, diabetes, high cholesterol and asthma.
- Adding four years of education also increases positive health behaviors, which result in less smoking, less obesity and decreased levels of anxiety and depression.
- Healthy children and teens are able to learn, grow, play and miss fewer days of school, which increases their education, thus improving their health over their lifetime.
In addition to citing data, Hernandez provided chronological examples: higher education often leads to increased financial resources, which can assist families to afford to live in safer and healthier neighborhoods, which affects the health of a child from birth.
“Health is strongly influenced by social determinants — where people live, their income, housing, and other factors. There is a clear correlation between health and education,” said Leslie Conner, Executive Director of SCCHC. “Higher education is critical to economic and social development, and leads to better health outcomes. At the same time, healthy kids do better in school.”
The students who attended the workshop, most of whom will be the first in their families to attend college, received information from SCCHC’s staff and educators. Also, representatives from UC Santa Cruz, Cabrillo College and Harbor High School provided college requirement materials including applications, essay writing requirements and financial aid. A panel of recent college graduates offered information relating to their personal experiences as transfer students and commuter students. Information about higher education and the DREAM Act (Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors) was also discussed.
“A strong education and obtaining a degree results in higher income, which then provides access to safer neighborhoods, better air and water quality, lower chronic illnesses, more access to healthy foods and lower obesity and diabetes rates,” Conner said.
Through the Santa Cruz Women’s Health Center and the East Cliff Family Health Center, Santa Cruz Community Health Centers (SCCHC) provides comprehensive primary care services in English and Spanish to all ages, genders, ethnicities, abilities and sexual orientations, regardless of their ability to pay. SCCHC’s health centers serve nearly 11,000 patients through a dedicated staff of medical providers, nurses, licensed clinical social workers, health educators, and administrative staff. SCCHC’s clinics offer primary care, pediatrics, prenatal care and education, mental health and substance abuse counseling, chronic disease management, health insurance enrollment, food distribution, and more.
For more information go to: www.schealthcenters.org • www.facebook.com/schealthcenters • www.instagram.com/schealthcenters