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Report Card: Dental Health In Tennessee: How our mouths affect our health

Tennessee ranks 38th for dental health in the nation. Here’s how we stack up.
Forces at Play: Exploring the intuitive design of the upcoming BlueCross Healthy Place at David Carnes Park in Memphis

Could the path to happiness start at your local park? It sounds too good to be true, but research increasingly shows it’s a real possibility. A recent study of well-being in 44 major cities across the U.S. found that park coverage was among the best predictors of residents’ health and happiness. The BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Health Foundation is investing in Memphis parks through its first BlueCross Healthy Place project, the revitalization of David Carnes Park in the city’s Whitehaven neighborhood. “Concentrating our giving on BlueCross Healthy Places will allow us to have a bigger impact within our communities, reaching both urban and rural areas across the state,” said Scott Wilson, BlueCross director of community relations and health foundation. “We’re […]
The Path to Parenthood: Two women talk about how Baby University helped them realize their full potential

For Torey Covington, motherhood was a journey that she expected to face alone. “I was 19 and pregnant and didn’t have any support from my child’s father,” Covington says. “I couldn’t even finish school.” “I was young and lost, and I didn’t know where I was heading.” “But as soon as I met my case worker from Baby University, MaryBeth Steffey, I knew I was in good hands.” Since 2015, Baby University has been partnering with expectant parents and those with young children to create sustainable futures so children can thrive. The Chattanooga-based program focuses on childhood development from prenatal stages to preschool. And it provides mothers and fathers with the tools to enhance a child’s stability while achieving their […]
Preparing for Impact

Everyone knows to call 911 in an emergency, but what do you do when you need help finding food? Or getting a job? Or, more importantly, seeking shelter when your home environment is unsafe? In Tennessee, you can dial 211 and get that help immediately. The free, confidential line is backed by United Way of Greater Chattanooga and provides financial, domestic, health or disaster-related information to those who need it. No matter what callers are struggling with, in-house specialists listen to their needs and refer them to the proper resources. “Callers might need help paying rent or a utility bill, or they might need a voucher for food or information on domestic violence shelters — it can be any number […]

Preparing for Impact: At United Way of Greater Chattanooga, small contributions make a big difference

Everyone knows to call 911 in an emergency, but what do you do when you need help finding food? Or getting a job? Or, more importantly, seeking shelter when your home environment is unsafe? In Tennessee, you can dial 211 and get that help immediately. The free, confidential line is backed by United Way of Greater Chattanooga and provides financial, domestic, health or disaster-related information to those who need it. No matter what callers are struggling with, in-house specialists listen to their needs and refer them to the proper resources. “Callers might need help paying rent or a utility bill, or they might need a voucher for food or information on domestic violence shelters — it can be any number […]
Walking in Memphis

“Just start walking.” When doctors encourage people to start exercising, walking is often step one. It’s an activity most people can do, it’s easy and it’s free — but it’s not always that simple. “You can’t tell someone to go and walk their neighborhood if there’s no sidewalk, or to walk around the park if there’s no park,” says Jenny Bartlett-Prescott, senior director of integrated health programs for Church Health in Memphis. As a nonprofit providing services to those with little or no access to health care, Church Health sees firsthand how the environment matters. The built environment includes all of the physical parts of where we live and work: homes, buildings, streets, open spaces. According to the CDC, the […]

Walking in Memphis: How the built environment affects health: Q&A with Church Health’s Jenny Bartlett-Prescott

“Just start walking.” When doctors encourage people to start exercising, walking is often step one. It’s an activity most people can do, it’s easy and it’s free — but it’s not always that simple. “You can’t tell someone to go and walk their neighborhood if there’s no sidewalk, or to walk around the park if there’s no park,” says Jenny Bartlett-Prescott, senior director of integrated health programs for Church Health in Memphis. As a nonprofit providing services to those with little or no access to health care, Church Health sees firsthand how the environment matters. The built environment includes all of the physical parts of where we live and work: homes, buildings, streets, open spaces. According to the CDC, the […]
Chattanooga & Hamilton County Health Brief

County health briefs offer comprehensive information about Tennessee cities and their surrounding areas. Each county health brief is different and focuses on that county’s biggest health challenges as identified by county and city health departments. Due to the highly customized nature of this information, statistics and metrics will vary from brief to brief. This health brief focuses on the top health priorities as identified by local experts, including the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Health Department’s community health profile. Scroll down to read about health in Chattanooga and Hamilton County or jump to a specific section: Demographics Causes of death Disease Social determinants Health disparities Solutions What are the demographics of Hamilton County? Population 361,613 (2017) Population Growth Hamilton County has grown by […]

Chattanooga & Hamilton County Health Brief

County health briefs offer comprehensive information about Tennessee cities and their surrounding areas. Each county health brief is different and focuses on that county’s biggest health challenges as identified by county and city health departments. Due to the highly customized nature of this information, statistics and metrics will vary from brief to brief. This health brief focuses on the top health priorities as identified by local experts, including the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Health Department’s community health profile. Scroll down to read about health in Chattanooga and Hamilton County or jump to a specific section: Demographics Causes of death Disease Social determinants Health disparities Solutions What are the demographics of Hamilton County? Population 361,613 (2017) Population Growth Hamilton County has grown by […]
Knoxville & Knox County Health Brief

Updated January 15, 2018 County health briefs offer comprehensive information about Tennessee cities and their surrounding areas. Each county health brief is different and focuses on that county’s biggest health challenges as identified by county and city health departments. Due to the highly customized nature of this information, statistics and metrics will vary from brief to brief. The Knox County health brief focuses on the top health priorities as identified by local experts, including representatives from the Knox County Health Department. Scroll down to read about health in Knox County, view sources or jump to a specific section: Demographics Causes of death Disease Social determinants Health disparities Solutions What are the demographics of Knox County? Population 448,164 Income The median […]

Knoxville & Knox County Health Brief

Updated January 15, 2018 County health briefs offer comprehensive information about Tennessee cities and their surrounding areas. Each county health brief is different and focuses on that county’s biggest health challenges as identified by county and city health departments. Due to the highly customized nature of this information, statistics and metrics will vary from brief to brief. The Knox County health brief focuses on the top health priorities as identified by local experts, including representatives from the Knox County Health Department. Scroll down to read about health in Knox County, view sources or jump to a specific section: Demographics Causes of death Disease Social determinants Health disparities Solutions What are the demographics of Knox County? Population 448,164 Income The median […]
Nashville & Davidson County Health Brief

County health briefs offer comprehensive information about Tennessee cities and their surrounding areas. The Nashville and Davidson County health brief focuses on the top health priorities as identified by local experts.

Nashville & Davidson County Health Brief

County health briefs offer comprehensive information about Tennessee cities and their surrounding areas. The Nashville and Davidson County health brief focuses on the top health priorities as identified by local experts.
Investing in Themselves to Help Others

Sakura Horiuchi has known she wanted to work in the medical field since she was in third grade. Inspired by a friend’s mother who was an anesthesiologist, the rising senior at Rhodes College is currently studying chemistry with the goal of becoming a surgeon. She joins Asia White and Renae Spears, both students at East Tennessee State University, as recipients of the 2018 BlueCross Power of We Scholarship. Through the program, the BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Health Foundation awards $10,000 each year to three minority students pursuing careers in health care. Horiuchi has worked as an intern at Methodist University Hospital in Memphis, where she conducted patient satisfaction surveys, and she is currently employed as an administrative assistant for a […]

Investing in Themselves to Help Others: 2018 Power of We Scholars forge their own paths, hope to inspire

Sakura Horiuchi has known she wanted to work in the medical field since she was in third grade. Inspired by a friend’s mother who was an anesthesiologist, the rising senior at Rhodes College is currently studying chemistry with the goal of becoming a surgeon. She joins Asia White and Renae Spears, both students at East Tennessee State University, as recipients of the 2018 BlueCross Power of We Scholarship. Through the program, the BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Health Foundation awards $10,000 each year to three minority students pursuing careers in health care. Horiuchi has worked as an intern at Methodist University Hospital in Memphis, where she conducted patient satisfaction surveys, and she is currently employed as an administrative assistant for a […]
The Family We Choose

As adults, we forget the little things that make kids easy targets, such as being picked up last from school. Isiah Porter remembers, and tells us how Coalition for Kids gave him a place to belong.

The Family We Choose: Coalition for Kids offers Johnson City youth activity, encouragement and connection

As adults, we forget the little things that make kids easy targets, such as being picked up last from school. Isiah Porter remembers, and tells us how Coalition for Kids gave him a place to belong.