Elected officials draft and enact legislation that shapes our society. Policies that directly impact healthcare, such as the Affordable Care Act, can transform people’s access to medical care. However, the decisions community leaders and politicians make about public policies in other areas still have significant effects on people’s health.
When examining the intersection of community health and public policy, people often focus on the quality and accessibility of clinical care. Those are valuable indicators of health outcomes, but seemingly unrelated public policies are closely intertwined with other social determinants of health, which include:
*Economic stability
*Accessible public transportation
*Quality public education options
*Consistent housing
*Protection from discrimination and violence
Here’s a closer look at three examples of how public policies can impact community health.
Protecting Communities With Safety Policies and Mandates
An example of public policy that protects people’s well-being is the Safe Drinking Water Act. It dictates the minimum standards for drinking water quality and holds states, municipalities, and drinking water suppliers to those requirements. Also, federal agencies, such as the Fair Trade Commission, Food