When we think about the factors that influence our health, we often consider things like diet, exercise and genetics. But one crucial, often overlooked factor is a person's ZIP code.

Simply put, where we live matters. Several research studies have found a direct correlation between a person's overall health and their ZIP code. In 2019, the Harvard School of Medicine studied the health outcomes of identical twins and siblings throughout the United States and found that environmental and socioeconomic factors impact a person's health nearly as much as genetics. In fact, some chronic health conditions, including morbid obesity and diabetes, are more influenced by a person's environment than family medical history.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services states that wide health disparities and inequities are direct effects of factors such as place. For example, people who don't have access to grocery stores with healthy foods are less likely to have good nutrition. That raises their risk of health conditions like heart disease, diabetes and obesity -- and even lowers life expectancy relative to people who do have access to fresh and nutritious foods. Similarly, neighborhoods with poor air quality and limited green space often have higher rates of asthma.

The research is clear - it is difficult to live a healthy life when you live in a neighborhood that lacks healthy conditions.

One way to see these health disparities is through the Healthy Places Index, or HPI, which measures communities' health conditions throughout California based on economic, educational, social, transportation, housing, environmental and healthcare resources.

According to the HPI, Riverside and San Bernardino counties unfortunately rank below the majority of counties in the state. San Bernardino County's collective average is in the 25th percentile, while Riverside County sits at the 41st percentile. Although these rankings demonstrate clear opportunity for improvement at the regional level, what they don't reflect is the extreme disparities that exist between census tracks, ZIP codes and local cities within the Inland Empire.

In Upland, for instance, one ZIP code has an HPI score of 84, reflecting better health conditions due to higher rates of health insurance and homeownership, among other factors. In contrast, a neighboring zip code in the same city scores just 43.2, with limited access to economic opportunities, housing and healthcare. Despite the ZIP codes' proximity to one another, socioeconomic and environmental differences greatly impact the health and wellness of their residents.

Similarly, in Corona, let's consider two neighborhoods divided by the 91 Freeway. Although both have low environmental scores because of their adjacency to the freeway, the northern neighborhood has an HPI score of 65, while the southern neighborhood plummets to just 4.8. A mere five-minute drive separates vastly different health outcomes, illustrating a pervasive trend not just in the Inland Empire but across California.

So, how does this happen? Environmental conditions, zoning policies, community resources and unjust systems have created vast -- and often unintentional -- health disparities that have long impacted low-income and marginalized communities.

Fortunately, there are opportunities and ongoing local initiatives in both Riverside and San Bernardino counties aimed at improving health outcomes and making neighborhoods healthier places to live.

Community-based organizations are critical to combatting the root causes of unhealthy neighborhoods while providing vital services and connecting residents to healthcare resources and information. One local nonprofit, Congregations Organized for Prophetic Engagement, or COPE, provides health information and healthcare access directly to vulnerable communities identified using ZIP code-level data. During the COVID-19 pandemic, COPE served as a trusted partner in providing access to vaccines, protective equipment and health information and continues to provide crucial healthcare to marginalized communities throughout the Inland Empire.

Advocating for changes in public policies is another essential tool for combatting health inequities in local communities. The Blue Zones Project, recently launched in cities and communities throughout Riverside County, will work to create healthier environments over the next five years. Its initiatives focus on enhancing the "Life Radius®," areas where people spend 90% of their time. Local Blue Zones staff will collaborate with business, government, education and healthcare leaders to find community-driven solutions that promise to improve conditions and make the healthy choice the easy choice for Riverside County residents.

Clearly, improving health outcomes across the Inland Empire will take time and, most importantly, will require strong community collaboration. But if we build upon the momentum already underway, we can ensure the opportunity for all residents to live healthy and fulfilling lives, regardless of their ZIP code.