Immigration and Economic Impact Relation to Community Health Promotion

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Immigration is often seen as a social issue and health promotion/ disease prevention program with a solid connection to the community. While this is true in theory, it’s also easy for these programs to fall under the radar because of their focus on health. This article will explore how immigration (and its contributions to community health) is an economic issue. The points made are not meant to discredit or diminish any aspects of health promotion/ disease prevention programs. Instead, they provide a new perspective on how best our communities and organizations implement them. It is a descriptive type of study. The primary purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between immigration and its impact on the economy. Health promotion programs are effective in creating a healthy community. Healthy communities are economically prosperous because of the cost savings associated with these programs.

Health needs change over time and differences within and between populations. Disparities in health status and health behaviours affect immigration from one country to another. In addition, immigrants may experience different health risks depending on how they enter a country (e.g., refugees, work immigration) or their legal statuses (e.g., permanent resident/ citizen). Immigration is an economic issue. Health promotion programs are effective in creating a healthy community. Healthy communities are economically prosperous because of the cost savings associated with these programs (Philbin, 2018).

There is substantial research to support the direct effect of health promotion on community economic growth. Studies have shown that increases in high school completion, life expectancy and health-related knowledge lead to higher occupational status and wealth and higher incomes and lower unemployment rates (Philbin et al., 2018). In addition, a study conducted by the MacArthur Foundation found health promotion programs can increase educational attainment among both early adolescents and adults, substantially increasing their ability to find employment, earn more income over time and contribute more to their families’ incomes (Philbin et al., 2018). 

Health promotion programs such as weight management, smoking cessation, pain management and healthy living can help people live longer and stay healthier, resulting in increased quality of life, a reduction in health care costs and an overall increase in productivity. These programs also provide an avenue for people to make lifestyle changes that can have lasting impacts on the economic health of individuals and society. Studies have shown that investments in health promotion go beyond immediate cost savings because they yield long-term benefits by increasing productivity, lowering health care costs and reducing absenteeism among employees (Mendoza et al., 2017). 

Health promotion is a priority of community economic developers who seek to make communities more attractive places to live and work by promoting businesses that can generate jobs. This study may be practically applied to health promotion/disease prevention programs implemented by community economic developers (Mendoza et al., 2017). They can use this information to evaluate how well these programs are progressing in their communities and how they could be optimized. This is done by examining the relationship between the program and its impact on the community, the health expenditures of a district, the costs of health promotion programs and its return on investment, and any other potential effects.

In addition, because businesses are one of the primary focuses for many community economic developers, it may also be beneficial to examine how health promotion can affect businesses. Businesses are often focused on productivity among their employees, which has led to an increased emphasis on employee wellness.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the topic of immigration and its economic impact relates to community health Promotion/ Disease Prevention because it affects the health of our communities, which in turn plays a significant role in the growth of our economy. Health promotion programs are effective in creating a healthy community. Healthy communities are economically prosperous because of the cost savings associated with these programs. These programs also provide an avenue for people to make lifestyle changes that can have lasting impacts on the economic health of individuals and society (Vaughn et al., 2017). Health promotion is a priority of community economic developers who seek to make communities more attractive places to live and work by promoting businesses that can generate jobs. In essence, healthy people contribute to a healthy society.

In my opinion, it is evident that health promotion programs and disease prevention programs are effective in creating a healthy community. Healthy communities are economically prosperous because of the cost savings associated with these programs. These programs also provide an avenue for people to make lifestyle changes that can have lasting impacts on the economic health of individuals and society. Health promotion is a priority of community economic developers who seek to make communities more attractive places to live and work by promoting businesses that can generate jobs. In essence, healthy people contribute to a healthy society.

References

Mendoza, M. M., Dmitrieva, J., Perreira, K. M., Hurwich-Reiss, E., & Watamura, S. E. (2017). The effects of economic and sociocultural stressors on the well-being of children of Latino immigrants living in poverty. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 23(1), 15.

Philbin, M. M., Flake, M., Hatzenbuehler, M. L., & Hirsch, J. S. (2018). State-level immigration and immigrant-focused policies as drivers of Latino health disparities in the United States. Social Science & Medicine, 199, 29-38.

Vaughn, L. M., Jacquez, F., Lindquist-Grantz, R., Parsons, A., & Melink, K. (2017). Immigrants as research partners: a review of immigrants in community-based participatory research (CBPR). Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health, 19(6), 1457-1468.