Hear from alumnus, former surgeon general on prescription for healthy lifestyle

Dean's Distinguished Lecture flyerThe School of Medicine will host David Satcher (MED ’70, GRS ’70), former surgeon general, as part of Homecoming and Reunion Weekend festivities Friday, Oct. 9, at 4 p.m. in the Iris S. & Bert L. Wolstein Research Building auditorium. Satcher will present the Dean’s Distinguished Lecture on “Revisiting the Surgeon General’s Prescription: A Community of Health and Wellness.”

Satcher first released the Surgeon General’s Prescription for Health and Wellness in 1999 at the World Conference on Health Promotion and Disease Prevention. This prescription consists of recommended practices for healthy lifestyles, including physical activity, nutrition, avoidance of toxins, responsible sexual behavior and stress management.

The World Health Organization (WHO) Commission on Social Determinants of Health, on which he served for four years, presented its report to the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2009, and WHO officially released it to the world shortly thereafter.

The social determinants of health are the conditions in which people are born, grow, learn, work, age and die. Factors such as education, income, environment, and violence are included. When viewed in the context of the social determinants of health, the Surgeon General’s Prescription must consider the opportunity that one has to engage in behaviors such as being physically active in a safe place, acquiring nutritious foods, or engaging in responsible sexual behavior. As stated in the Commission on Social Determinants of Health’s final report, changes in these conditions in which people live often require policy changes.

To RSVP for the event, contact Jessica Roloff at 216.368.2574 or somalumni@case.edu.

A reception will follow the event.

To learn more about homecoming activities, visit case.edu/homecoming.