Emily Oken MD, MPH, Dennis Ross-Degnan ScD, and Jennifer Thompson, along with other team members, developed a Community Wellness Map – an interactive, web-based tool to help residents be more active, eat better, and live a healthier lifestyle. The map provides wellness resources for five towns served by Cambridge Health Alliance (CHA): Cambridge, Somerville, Malden, Everett and Revere. It features a comprehensive list of physical activity, nutrition, and weight management programs, and includes important program details, such as cost, contact information, and eligibility criteria.
The development of this tool was part of a larger effort to improve diabetes prevention for CHA patients and individuals living in the neighboring areas. Other institutions involved in the production of the interactive map were The Harvard Center for Geographical Analysis and the Dana Farber Cancer Institute Health Communication Core.
This project demonstrates it is possible to create mapped community program guides and suggests that such programs have the potential to improve population health management.
The Community Wellness Map is available online for all users. The Welcome Page provides instructions on how to use the program guide and also provides tips for healthy living, including suggestions for activities that can be done within publicly accessible outdoor and indoor public spaces. To access the Community Wellness Map, click here.