Our agency is known for our research on the disproportionate numbers of premature deaths among people of color. And now, with the release of the 3rd edition of Dying Before Their Time, we want the general population to understand why a community-wide Call to Action is an imperative to eliminate the health disparities that have made the title of the report as daunting as it has been appropriate.
Similar to the search for a COVID-19 vaccine, it is time to harness the necessity, urgency and resolve to reduce and prevent premature deaths.
In the short term, it means access and delivery of ambulatory and primary healthcare services; more integration and collaboration among health and human service providers; and access to quality hospital, nursing home and long-term care facilities.
Over the long term, a more collaborative, coordinated, strategic and longitudinal approach will need to be taken by the entire health and human service provider community to make any meaningful impact on decreasing the high death rate. This includes addressing the many social factors known to influence the health and wellbeing of an individual and their surrounding community, such as appropriate nutrition, housing, access to appropriate healthcare and social services, water supply, income, education, mental health services, jobs, environmental justice issues, and overall neighborhood conditions.
For all of us to live long, strong, productive lives, every adult and every sector of our society must be invested in quality of life issues throughout the lifespan. All of us.
The latest edition of Dying Before Their Time is the catalyst for much of our work ahead. The initial research was commissioned by the Detroit Area Agency on Aging 19 years ago and led by Dr. Herbert Smitherman, Jr., M.D., and his team at the Wayne State University Medical School. All three reports reflect the researchers’ commitment to detailing and addressing the health disparities that have become too common in our society. A link to the report and some of our media coverage is below.
The Detroit Area Agency on Aging wants this region to be age-friendly for every generation. COVID-19 has altered how we work, but it has not changed what we do.