During the September 18, 2024, United States House Committee on Ways and Means Health Subcommittee Hearing on Investing in a Healthier America: Chronic Disease Prevention & Treatment, U.S. representative of Alabama's 7th congressional district, Congresswoman Terri Sewell, took a moment to recognize the impact of Live HealthSmart Alabama (LHSA). As an initiative of the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), LHSA is aimed at reducing chronic disease across the state. In Congresswoman Sewell’s speech, she praised the initiative, highlighting its focus on addressing the social determinants of health through education, nutrition, physical activity, and wellness programs.
“I feel very fortunate in my district. We have amazing partners like the Live HealthSmart [Alabama] program sponsored by the University of Alabama [at] Birmingham that has committed to addressing social determinants of health,” Congresswoman Sewell said to the Health Subcommittee. “The Live HealthSmart [Alabama] program is an example of the type of work this committee should be supporting. We have to focus on social determinants of health and really tackle them if we are to address chronic diseases.”
Alabama Health Metrics
According to the 2023 Annual America’s Health Rankings Report by United Health Foundation and American Public Health Association, Alabama ranks 45th in obesity rates, 48th in diabetes, and 47th in high blood pressure. Additionally, 16.9% of households live below the federal poverty line, while 12.4% experience food insecurity. These statistics illustrate the extent of health challenges that many Alabamians face, including the direct effects of poverty, limited access to nutritious foods, and inaccessible preventive healthcare.
Live HealthSmart Alabama
LHSA was created in 2019 to address health disparities by developing programs to remove systemic barriers that limit healthy choices. Since then, LHSA has implemented a variety of programs targeting education, access to good nutrition, increased physical activity, and comprehensive wellness programs. These programs include the Mobile Market, which provides access to affordable and healthy groceries to areas struggling with food insecurity, Mobile Wellness, offering health screenings and education to underserved communities at no cost, and Community Revitalization efforts, such as building walking paths and parks to encourage physical activity.
LHSA also launched the Community Coach program, which works to improve Alabama’s overall health by supporting residents in accessing regular medical care, forming healthy eating habits, and engaging in physical activity. The LHSA Health Education Library extends these efforts by providing resources statewide, such as fact sheets on healthy living and recipe cards for nutritious meals.
Congresswoman Sewell stressed the importance in funding preventive health initiatives like LHSA to the Health Subcommittee, reinforcing the idea that by addressing the social determinants of health, we can tackle chronic diseases. She also explained the need to invest in nationwide preventive efforts to reduce chronic diseases and long-term mortality, ultimately saving costs in the long run.
As Alabama’s health indicators continue to rank among the lowest in the U.S., programs like LHSA are necessary for implementing long-term change. By addressing the causes of poor health and providing preventive health programs, LHSA is working to make good health simple for all Alabamians while also offering a model that could be replicated nationwide.
