Module 2 > Equity > Increasing equity by improving community conditions
In Module 1, we talk about how negative health outcomes such as suicide can be traced back to root causes in our environment. Many of the disparities we see in suicide rates are the result of inequitable community conditions. The THRIVE factors—also introduced in Module 1—help us get to the root of the problem by thinking about community determinants of health, such as housing and safety. Framing suicide in the context of community conditions helps reduce blame and stigma in communities where mental health challenges might be stigmatized; where communities have faced historical and ongoing trauma due to intentional policies and practices such as slavery and genocide; and where people might face barriers to seeking help. The full list of THRIVE factors is below.
Improving community conditions can decrease suicide and other forms of violence, and can also improve a number of physical and emotional health outcomes. For example, community support and connectedness are protective against suicide as well as youth violence, child maltreatment, intimate partner violence, sexual violence, and elder abuse. For further information on the links among multiple forms of violence, read CDC and Prevention Institute’s overview: Connecting the Dots.
Activity
Review the two-page THRIVE assessment tool and make a list of partner organizations and community members that you would want to involve in assessing the community determinants of health in your local area and prioritizing them for action based on which ones have the most potential to increase equity in mental health outcomes.