Disparities in health outcomes are closely linked with social, economic, and environmental conditions. The burden of these disparities are most often experienced by racial and ethnic individuals of color, those with low income, and those who live in vulnerable communities. Local policy and systems change efforts provide a means to address health inequities and create sustainable change at the community level. The Inkster Partnership for a Healthier Community was formed in 2010 to create sustainable opportunities for health, with a special focus on diabetes prevention and management. Policy and infrastructure change efforts were documented and tracked over time and qualitative data were collected to create deeper understanding of the change efforts. Eleven policy outcomes have created sustainable change around access to health resources and services, access to healthy foods, opportunities for physical activity, diabetes prevention and management education, and increased capacity for ongoing community change.
Keywords: chronic disease; community organization; diabetes; environmental and systems change; health disparities; health promotion; health research; physical activity/exercise; program planning and evaluation; qualitative research; social determinants of health.