LLU School of Public Health to Host Healthy People in Healthy Communities

Loma Linda University School of Public Health (LLUSPH) is hosting the first Healthy People in Healthy Communities (HPHC), a three-day conference focusing on lifestyle medicine and the built environment as it relates to kids. HPHC, presented by Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital (LLUCH), will be held March 3 through 5 on the Loma Linda University campus, which includes the special introductory day on March 3 at ESRI in Redlands. ESRI, an international supplier of GIS software and geodatabase management applications, is the platinum sponsor and co-host of the community event. “Healthy People in Healthy Communities will be an opportunity for community partners and leaders to identify how we can work together to fill the gaps in the lifestyles of our children,” said Donna Gurule, chair of the HPHC scientific committee and the environmental health and geoinformatics sciences department at LLUSPH. “We are excited to be hosting this high quality conference on health, the built environment, and geographic information systems that will generate energy for change by providing access to strong leaders and public advocates, while stimulating relevant dialogue in an environment of honest inquiry.” HPHC is the consolidation of two established LLUSPH events: Healthy People — the premier conference on lifestyle medicine; and Healthy Communities by Design — an innovative forum on the built environment and geographic information systems (GIS). The conference theme spotlights children’s health in the community, bringing together a multi-disciplinary group of academics, policy leaders, educators, GIS experts, and children’s advocates. This facilitates interdisciplinary efforts by people of diverse backgrounds and interests to reframe the conversations around health and the built environment. Looking to the interrelated web of factors that shape development from the pre-natal period and throughout the life course, the conference program highlights a number of key topics at the intersection of health and environment, including epigenetics, nutrition, air quality, community design, the media and family situation. A special half-day event at ESRI headquarters on March 3 is geared toward geoinformatic specialists and those interested in learning how geoinformatics is changing the face of health care and public health. Kaiser Permanente, a leading health care provider, has agreed to be the Silver Sponsor for the inaugural event. “Kaiser Permanente has a social mission to care for the communities we serve,” said Greg Christian, executive director, Kaiser Foundation Hospitals/Health Plan, San Bernardino County area. “Providing resources to programs that improve the health of our communities and their residents is central to this mission. We are pleased to work with strong partners such as Loma Linda University as a sponsor for this conference.” Registration for the event is now open. All registration includes continuing education credit. To register, visit the event page, www.HealthyPeopleConference.org. For more information on the event, call Krystal Gheen at LLUSPH, 909-558-4595.