Blackpool Council Annual Health Report 2019 Blackpool Council Annual Health Report PAGES | Page 21

THE HEALTH OF THE PEOPLE OF BLACKPOOL 2018 HEALTHY BEGINNINGS FOR A HEALTHY FUTURE While good healthcare in both primary and secondary care settings is crucial, it contributes only around 10% of overall health. A further 10-20% of health is thought to be shaped by genetic factors, but even genes can be influenced by environmental factors. Most of what makes people healthy are the physical and social environments that they live in. Giving children safe and healthy surroundings to grow up in can have significant impacts on their health, wellbeing and ability to learn and develop. From a physical health point of view, Blackpool’s children are more likely to be admitted to hospital with asthma, diabetes or accidental or non-accidental injury and have a higher over-all rate of emergency admissions to hospital compared to the national average. The relationships between these “wider determinants of health” and health outcomes are complex, and it is the Public Health team's job to advocate and work towards improving the underlying foundations of health as well as targeting interventions more directly on improving health outcomes. 21