GlaxoSmithKline Promotes Community Health in St. Louis

As a part of its national initiative to promote healthier communities, GlaxoSmithKline plc (GSK) is running a program called "A Conversation on Community Health." The program is being conducted in several U.S. cities to examine the barriers and identify opportunities to develop healthier communities. The essence of the program is to explore what it really means to be a healthy community and what it takes to achieve that goal. A recent city stop for the program was St. Louis.

The program in St. Louis included the convening of an expert working summit where some of the leading experts of the region from a variety of fields such as public health, medicine, government, academia, philanthropy and business came together. The experts evaluated and analyzed the major factors that influence the health of a community. The group shared examples of approaches that are successfully dealing with systemic barriers to superior outcomes across the city.

Deirdre Connelly, President, North America Pharmaceuticals at GlaxoSmithKline, said: "At GSK, we're always asking ourselves what we can do to be a better partner in the communities in which we serve patients to ensure that they have the resources and opportunities they need to live healthier lives. While there are many innovative and effective local community programs doing great work across St. Louis and in other cities across the United States, we believe it's possible to work together even more effectively to drive greater collective impact. It is urgent that organizations collaborate to uncover new ideas, and rethink incentives for improving the overall health of the community as a whole."

Under this national program, GSK is underwriting the events to initiate innovative and community-based collaborations with citizens, advocates, public officials and health organizations that will promote a new approach to improving health at the community level. The series of discussions carried out under the program lead to new insights about how to shape the strategic direction for GSK's community programs and local involvement within the country.

Pamela Rice Walker, MPA, CPHA, St. Louis City Health Director, said: "St. Louis is committed to being a healthy community for all ages. We have seen substantial reductions in lead poisoning, infant mortality, and asthma hospitalizations among our children over the past 10 years. However, we need to remain vigilant and creative in our approaches to reducing obesity and diabetes among our youth."

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