Delaware SHIP Priorities
Chronic Disease
Maternal & Child Health
Maternal & Child Health
Chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes are the leading causes of death and disability in the US and in Delaware. SHIP recommendations are related to system-wide, policy change that address the social determinants of health.
Maternal & Child Health
Maternal & Child Health
Maternal & Child Health
Despite major advances in clinical care, critical threats to maternal, infant, and child health exist in the US and in Delaware specifically. SHIP recommends prioritizing improvements in teen pregnancy, premature births, and low birth weight infants; as well as additional education on maternal and child health topics, reducing the cost of care, and increasing access to preventative services.
Substance Use Disorder
Maternal & Child Health
Substance Use Disorder
The 2017 Delaware State Health Needs Assessment reported that 1 in 10 Delawareans has struggled with a substance abuse issue at some point in their life. SHIP works to reduce tobacco and tobacco-substitute use as well as reduce substance use.
Mental Health
Policies, Systems & Environments
Substance Use Disorder
Stakeholders have ranked mental health the fourth for the top five most important public health issues being faced. The 2017 Delaware State Assessment Needs reported that 17% of Delawareans have been diagnosed with a mental health disorder. SHIP prioritizes improving access to behavioral and mental health services.
Policies, Systems & Environments
Policies, Systems & Environments
Policies, Systems & Environments
Policy, Systems and Environmental Change (PSE) approaches aim to produce healthier environments and make healthy lifestyle choices more feasible for all members in a community, through PSE changes. SHIP hopes to adopt a PSE approach, promoting health in all policies, incorporating a social marketing approach, and addressing the social determinants of health.
Social Determinants of Health
Policies, Systems & Environments
Policies, Systems & Environments
Social determinants of health are conditions in the environments in which people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship, and age that affect a wide range of health, functioning, and quality-of-life outcomes and risks. The PSE approach addresses these social determinants.
Health in All Policies
Health in All Policies
Health in All Policies
Health in All Policies is a collaborative approach to improving the health of all people by incorporating health considerations into decision-making across sectors and policy areas. Delaware SHIP considers Health in All Policies as part of the comprehensive approach to improve health and well-being.
Social Marketing
Health in All Policies
Health in All Policies
Social marketing is an excellent tool for promoting public health activities. Social media can be used to understand and address what people believe and need to know and do to change a specific behavior. Social marketing can be part of a comprehensive approach to prevent disease, improve health, or gain public support for change for the good of individuals or the community.
Together for our Health
The purpose of a SHIP is to “describe how the health department and the community it serves will work together to improve the health of the population." - The National Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB)
New At-A-Glance Series Available!
The Pandemic, Public Health, and a Path Ahead: From COVID-19 Impact to Addressing Systemic Inequities and Improving State Health