Heart disease is a leading cause of death in the United States. American Heart Month, observed in February, provides an opportunity to raise awareness about the dangers of heart problems, and to promote healthy behaviors to prevent and reduce the risk of heart disease and other cardiovascular disorders. Typically, public health officials point to three major behavior changes that can reduce the risk of heart disease and other chronic diseases: eating a healthy diet, engaging in regular physical activity, and quitting smoking. However, in public health, we also know that there can be barriers to access healthy foods and finding opportunities for physical activity opportunities. For many of our neighbors, eating healthy and exercising regularly is easier said than done.

At Live Well Allegheny, we work to ensure that all Allegheny County residents can lead healthy lives. In December 2018, the Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) wrapped up a multi-year funding opportunity from the Richard King Mellon Foundation to enhance the strategy of Live Well Allegheny and improve health across the county. Live Well Allegheny was expanded through strategic partnerships with the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, Just Harvest, United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania, Allegheny County Economic Development (ACED), and RAND Health to increase access to healthy food options and physical activity opportunities, and survey health behaviors with the goal of improving overall health of county residents.

To learn more about the collective impact of this project, check out our interactive story map!  You can also click here to view an infographic about the project that was created by RAND Health.

The success of the Richard King Mellon Foundation project led to a new funding opportunity to expand the work with a focus on health equity. In September 2018, ACHD was awarded a five-year national grant, Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH), from the CDC. The new project aims to enhance health equity in Allegheny County by addressing chronic disease risk factors in African American/Black populations living in six high-risk target communities. The new funding will allow ACHD to continue to address healthy equity and chronic disease risk factors by collaborating with community-based organizations. ACHD looks forward to another five years of prioritizing equitable access to health to ensure that all our residents can lead long, healthy lives.

Knowledge is important to good health, and we need accurate information to maintain a healthy lifestyle. From the types of foods to eat to questions to ask your doctor, good health requires good information. Unfortunately, when it comes to health, there is a lot of misinformation out there. TV doctors, fad diets, and internet ads promise “miracle cures” and create confusion; however, there are reputable resources available to ensure that you are getting the best health information. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health has an interactive toolkit, Know the Science, that uses interactive modules, videos, and quizzes to provide accurate and engaging health information. The website provides resources to better understand scientific topics and to help people get the most accurate health information.

To ensure that Northside residents have access to accurate health information, Project Destiny offered a health training series to their community health workers. The community health training series was facilitated by Lorraine Starsky, Allegheny County Health Department’s (ACHD) Chronic Disease Prevention Program Public Health Nurse. The five-part training series provided information about factors that contribute to chronic disease and strategies for improving health on an individual and community level. The series covered information about diabetes, cancer, and heart health awareness, as well as resources for eating healthy on a budget.

Project Destiny’s community health worker program is focused on improving health in the Northside by connecting residents to services. Part-time community health workers who are responsible for connecting Northside residents with available health resources and services. The community health workers go door-to-door connecting with residents to determine what services individuals and families need. Doing so provides Project Destiny with information about the factors that are impacting the health of residents in the Northside.

The community health worker program is part of a larger project, Thrive18, an initiative to improve health in the Northside’s 18 neighborhoods. Thrive18 is part of the BUILD Health Challenge. As an awardee of the BUILD Health Challenge, Project Destiny works with Allegheny General Hospital, ACHD, Buhl Foundation, and Highmark Health using a collaborative approach to improve health. By collaborating with other organizations, Project Destiny seeks to understand and intervene in the underlying factors that impact health like housing, education, and financial stability. By understanding the factors that influence resident health, the organizations hope to improve overall health in the Northside.

Wondering how to spot good health information? Check out our Be Choosy about Health Information guide for help!

November serves as American Diabetes Month. Diabetes is one of the leading causes of disability, affecting over 30 million people nationally. Diabetes can cause a variety of health problems like nerve damage, kidney disease, blindness, and even death. The good news? People can lower their risk for type 2 diabetes by making healthy changes. Eating healthy foods and getting more physical activity lowers your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Making healthy choices is not always easy. For many of our neighbors, affording and accessing healthy food is a challenge. Limited access to fresh, healthy foods is a barrier to maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

For residents of Clairton, finding healthy food is difficult. A city of almost 7,000 residents, Clairton has not had a grocery store for more than 10 years. While community organizations, including the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, have provided healthy food options with interventions like the Green Grocer, the community has been unable to bring a brick-and-mortar grocer to the residents of Clairton…until now.

Economic Development South, a Live Well Allegheny Community Partner, is bringing healthy food into Clairton with its new food market, Produce Marketplace. Produce Marketplace, a community-driven grocery store, is a place where residents can purchase fresh food in their neighborhood. Filled with fresh options including fruits and vegetables, meat, deli, dairy, and bread, the market fills a long-standing gap in the community. Clairton residents will no longer have to leave their community to purchase healthy foods. The store aims to keep prices low and will accept SNAP and WIC benefits. The market, located at 519 St. Clair Avenue, Clairton, Pennsylvania 15025, is open:

• Monday: Closed
• Tuesday and Thursday: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Wednesday and Friday: 3 to 6 p.m.
• Saturday: 10 to 7 p.m.
• Sunday: noon to 3 p.m.

The Produce Marketplace opened its doors to the public on October 27, and held a commemorative opening on October 26. During the soft opening, the market held a ribbon-cutting ceremony featuring remarks from Allegheny County Executive, Rich Fitzgerald, Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, Denis Davin, and Mayor of the City of Clairton, Richard Lattanzi, and along with other elected officials.

Next time you are in Clairton, make sure to stop by the Produce Marketplace and check out their selection of healthy options! You can also follow all the news about the market by liking their Facebook page.