Amy Nakamoto 
Table of Contents
At Discovery Education, we are committed to connecting student learning to the real world. In addition to our suite of award-winning digital learning solutions, we also partner with industry-leading organizations to create free, standards-aligned resources designed to educate and empower the next generation.
One education initiative we’re particularly excited about is our Better Health in Action: From Classroom to Community program with Takeda Pharmaceuticals. Better Health in Action provides students, educators, and families in grades 6-8 with a suite of engaging digital resources that help students explore health equity, better understand health literacy, and improve the health and well-being of everyone in their communities.
You may be asking yourself: what is health equity and what does it have to do with education? According to a definition by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, health equity is when everyone has a fair opportunity to attain their highest level of health. One predictor of health outcomes is education. Yet we know from a study by Tulane University that people with less education may face serious health disadvantages. This is why Takeda and Discovery Education are partnering to support the education of all students.
Let’s turn to Linn Parrish, Head of Health Equity Alliances and Partnerships for Takeda’s Center for Health Equity and Patient Affairs, to share more about the Better Health in Action education program and the true power of partnerships.
What is the connection between health equity and education?
The root causes of health inequities — the differences in health status seen between groups of people and countries — are intertwined. Your education, neighborhood, and social and cultural environment impact your understanding and opportunity to engage in healthy behaviors. These factors have the potential to be barriers to receiving quality care and could limit access to appropriate resources to live your healthiest life.
Studies show that, generally, clinical care accounts for about 20% of a person’s health. The other 80% of our health is determined by other factors and influences that make up our personal ecosystems, including education. Research demonstrates that education has the potential to provide people with more tools to live a satisfying life and contribute to their communities.
Understanding the impact health inequities can have on individuals and communities, Takeda and Discovery Education partnered to create Better Health in Action — an education initiative focused on helping today’s students learn about the issue of health inequity, so they are better equipped to understand the areas for potential action in their communities.
Can you tell us about Better Health in Action?
Building a healthier future includes students. Designed to engage students in the topics of health equity globally and their connections to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), Better Health in Action aims to empower students to understand the principles of health equity and to identify health inequities in their communities through interactive, research-based learning experiences.
Better Health in Action introduces students to certain global healthcare challenges through the work and lens of dedicated professionals at Takeda. Through a new video topic series and self-paced module, students can explore how the social determinants of health can impact everyday life and consider potential ways to reduce health disparities in their own communities. It also introduces them to career opportunities and role models in life sciences. Through Better Health in Action, our goal is for students to be equipped, knowledgeable, and inspired to advance health equity.
Why is it important to educate students about health equity?
The future generation can help our collective goal to create a more equitable future for their world — starting with how they approach today. It’s no secret that health inequities beginning in childhood often follow people throughout their lives. Furthermore, research shows that if a child receives an education, it’s more likely they’ll be able to access quality healthcare, get a job, and live in a stable environment — all factors that can affect well-being.
Understanding and seeing how education impacts the health of communities can help put us on the right path toward better health care for all. Through health equity education and our program, we hope to inspire students to create change in their communities. Students are the future changemakers and can help make better possible health outcomes a reality for everyone.
Why did Takeda team up with Discovery Education?
At Takeda, we are committed to helping create equitable health care for all and aim to help achieve better health for people and a brighter future for the world. Since our company’s founding more than 240 years ago, we’ve asked ourselves what more can we do for our patients? We remain focused on this question and believe it’s one we’ll continue to not only ask, but respond to, for the next 240+ years.
Discovery Education — a worldwide leader in edtech — is an ideal partner to inspire this next generation, providing high-quality learning experiences engaging all students and supporting higher academic achievement on a global scale.
How can students and educators get involved?
Better Health in Action can help foster a health equity mindset for both students and educators to improve their communities. Addressing health inequity isn’t just one person’s responsibility – it will take all of us, at every level, to achieve. Visit the Better Health in Action website for tools and resources to learn how you can become a health equity champion.
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