What Is the Public Health Landscape Like in Flint?
I had come back here to work for Michigan State because I wanted to do community-based research. The pediatric clinic (in Flint) is now co-located with our farmers market. We have a really good community base that's tied into other resources and other means of getting out the issues. The higher ups wouldn't have even known there was a problem (with the water) if the people hadn't been so vocal about it, (so) it is important to be tied into local politics.
(But) the city has declined by half over 50 years, while the suburbs continue to grow. It's easy for people to ignore the problems of legacy infrastructure when they don't have to bear the costs of this. But in 40 years our suburbs are going to be in a real bad spot. Their water systems will be declining and their roads will be declining.
Nations Health. 2016;46(3):1, 15 © 2016 American Public Health Association
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