Public Health in Oregon - Join The Conversation

I definitely believe that playgrounds are a public health issue.  I think they are also a visible sign of health inequities in our communities.  A quick drive (or bike ride!) around most communities will reveal that the wealthier areas of town have nice, safe playgrounds, while many of the low income areas have few and/or unsafe playgrounds. 

I’m writing from Corvallis, where the bond measure was defeated. However, I don’t think this was a referendum on the importance of parks.  Rather, there were some controversial aspects of the bond measure that made it less appealing to some.

I hope to see parks and playgrounds continuing to be included in the public health arena.

Karen

Corinne and Deva both have excellent examples of why playgrounds are public health issues.  I’d like to share an example of a third reason: environmental exposures to toxins.  In the post, it mentions that the playground equipment is “worn and broken”.  Depending on the materials used to construct the play equipment, children could be coming in to contact with arsenic treated wood.  Arsenic is a known human carcinogen and the Environmental Working Group released a report in 2001 that finds, “An average five-year-old, playing less than two weeks on a…treated playset would exceed the lifetime cancer risk considered acceptable under federal pesticide law”. 

Although reports such as these have applied enough pressure that the use of arsenic-based preservatives for wood has been halted as of December 2003, many older play structures still contain the chemicals.  Additionally, arsenic-based pesticides are still legal for use on lawns, athletic fields, and school yards.

Children in all communities deserve safe spaces to play that are designed with safety- both immediate and long term in mind.  As an informed citizenry, we must strive to make the places where our youngest, and often most vulnerable, play as safe as we can.  After all, if we don’t act to protect the health of our children, who will?

Health/Toxics: Arsenic in Treated Wood:
http://www.ewg.org/featured/232

Poisoned Playgrounds: Arsenic in Pressure-treated Wood
http://www.ewg.org/reports/poisonedplaygrounds

I whole heartedly agree with Corinne’s posting.  Playground policy most certainly affects the public’s health.  According to the latest statistics from John Hopkins Center for Injury Research and Policy, each year in the US more that 200,000 children are treated in emergency rooms for playground-related injuries, and at least 17 children die as a result of those injuries.  I believe the $13.6 million will be well spent in Corvallis.

We have come a long way from the concrete and asphalt grounding in the playgrounds of my parent’s day, to the softer wood chips and shredded rubber surfaces of today.  But many playgrounds badly need funds for maintenance of equipment as well as complete redesign so that they are not only safe but fun.  It does us no good if we take out all the fun but dangerous equipment and replace it with safe yet boring structures.  Children need to have a safe place in the community where they can have fun playing safely. 

If you are a Corvallis resident reading this posting, please do your community a favor by voting yes on this measure to support the health and well being of our next generation!

In response to the question are playgrounds under the jurisdiction of public health?  We must ask the questions whether physical activity, childhood obesity, safety and social capitol are public health issues.  Researcher Janice Bell recently published a study in the Journal of Preventive Medicine that found children with more access to green spaces and recreation sites had lower BMI’s with the factor of socioeconomic status being controlled for.  Bells study also suggested a correlation between increased and improved recreational areas with lower crime rates.  Safer communities increase the likelihood that families will utilize public recreation areas.

As the citizens of Corvallis consider spending 13.6 million dollars on improved parks and recreational sites within their city I urge them to consider the following facts.  As childhood obesity increases so do associated health problems like diabetes, asthma, hypertension, and emotional problems.  The American Public Health Association states that 9 million children in the U.S are overweight.  The Center for Disease Control reports, “the principle reason that overweight is on the rise among children is their lack of physical activity and poor eating habits”.  Considering that physical education within our public school systems have decreased and the hours our children spend watching television has increased it makes complete sense to invest in our communities recreational areas. Not only will the city of Corvallis contribute to preventive medicine using an upstream approach they will be pioneers in combating one of the greatest epidemics of our time childhood obesity.

Corinne Sell
Naturopathic Medical Student NCNM
Master’s Public Health student PSU

American Public Health Assoc:  http://www.apha.org/programs/resources/obesity/defaulttest.htm

Green space and Obesity: http://www.gmagazine.com.au/news/372/green-neighborhoods-lower-childhood-obesity