Research Guides: Connecting to Community at VCU: Why Community Matters

Five Social Determinants of Health

The CDC has defined five major non-medical factors that influence the health of individuals. These social determinants of health are:

Education Access and Quality
Health Care and Quality
Neighborhood and Built Environment
Social and Community Context
Economic Stability

Social and community context refers to the relationships people have their family, friends, co-workers, and other community members. The Healthy People 2030 initiative wants to help people understand how to strengthen these relationships and create a network that allows for community support. Individuals can improve their social and community context in small ways, by investing in their personal relationships, or in larger ways, by creating community initiatives that aim to build stronger community relationships.

Neighborhood and built environment refer to the environments where people live and work. Many factors, like unsafe air or water, are not within the control of individuals and are very dependent on larger bodies, like local and state policymakers. Libraries are great resources to help communities that are underserved by doing things like lending Wi-Fi hot spots or providing water test kits.

This resource guide hopes to accomplish two goals. The first is to bring attention to existing neighborhood and built environment features available for VCU Libraries users. The second is encourage social investment. This can be as simple as joining a club at VCU, hosting a potluck every month with friends and family, or volunteering.

Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation

Our Epidemic of Loneliness

In recent years, the phrase "epidemic of loneliness" has been featured in many think pieces and articles. In 2023, the U.S. Surgeon General's Advisory was focused on the epidemic of loneliness and isolation in the United States. The advisory covers a lot of information. A definition of loneliness, isolation, and social connection is provided. A link between poor health and a lack of social connection is explored.
Racial and ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ individuals, victims of domestic violence, and rural residents are all more likely to experience feelings of loneliness and isolation
Creating a more connected society is not the job of one person. It will require action at a level higher than the individual, but there are many small actions we can all take to strengthen our existing relationships and become more connected with our local communities.

Advancing Social Connection as a Public Health Priority in the United States

An argument based on several epidemiological studies that investing in social connections should be a priority for maintaining health in the U.S.
Suggests investing in more effective mental health treatment and awareness and more community-based participatory research in relationship science

Ways to Stay Connected

National Institute on Aging- Tips for staying Connected
- Advice for individuals 65+ on staying connected, particularly when faced with health or mobility issues
Harvard Health- Strengthen Relationships You Already Have
- Dedicate time regularly to friends and family
- Make efforts to communicate frequently in different ways- send text messages, have phone calls, write letters or emails
- Watch the same movie, read the same book, listen to the same album and discuss over the phone
Follow Social Media Relevant to Your Location
- Follow social media accounts that provide information about local events, clubs, and free activities
Participate in Local Events
- RVA Event Calendar

Suggested Reading

The Serviceberry by Robin Wall Kimmerer; John Burgoyne (Illustrator)
ISBN: 9781668072240
Publication Date: 2024-11-19
A bold and inspiring vision for how to orient our lives around gratitude, reciprocity, and community, based on the lessons of the natural world. As Indigenous scientist and author of Braiding Sweetgrass Robin Wall Kimmerer harvests serviceberries alongside the birds, she considers the ethic of reciprocity that lies at the heart of the gift economy. How, she asks, can we learn from Indigenous wisdom and the plant world to reimagine what we value most? Our economy is rooted in scarcity, competition, and the hoarding of resources, and we have surrendered our values to a system that actively harms what we love. Meanwhile, the serviceberry's relationship with the natural world is an embodiment of reciprocity, interconnectedness, and gratitude. The tree distributes its wealth--its abundance of sweet, juicy berries--to meet the needs of its natural community. And this distribution ensures its own survival.
Smart Communities by Suzanne W. Morse
ISBN: 9780787965167
Publication Date: 2004-03-18
Based on the results of more than a decade of research by the Pew Partnership for Civic Change, Smart Communities provides directions for strategic decision-making and outlines the key strategies used by thousands of leaders who have worked to create successful communities. Smart Communities offers leaders from both the public and private sectors the tools they need to create a better future for all the community's citizens. Using illustrative examples from communities around the country, Smart Communities shows how these change agents' well-structured decision-making processes can be traced to their effective use of seven key leverage points: Investing right the first time Working together Building on community strengths Practicing democracy Preserving the past Growing leaders Inventing a brighter future
Evicted by Matthew Desmond
ISBN: 9780553447439
Publication Date: 2016-03-01
In Evicted, Princeton sociologist and MacArthur "Genius" Matthew Desmond follows eight families in Milwaukee as they each struggle to keep a roof over their heads. Evicted transforms our understanding of poverty and economic exploitation while providing fresh ideas for solving one of twenty-first-century America's most devastating problems. Its unforgettable scenes of hope and loss remind us of the centrality of home, without which nothing else is possible.
Together by Vivek H. Murthy
ISBN: 9780062913296
Publication Date: 2020-04-28
Humans are social creatures: In this simple and obvious fact lies both the problem and the solution to the current crisis of loneliness. In his groundbreaking book, the 19th surgeon general of the United States Dr. Vivek Murthy makes a case for loneliness as a public health concern: a root cause and contributor to many of the epidemics sweeping the world today from alcohol and drug addiction to violence to depression and anxiety. Loneliness, he argues, is affecting not only our health, but also how our children experience school, how we perform in the workplace, and the sense of division and polarization in our society. But, at the center of our loneliness is our innate desire to connect. We have evolved to participate in community, to forge lasting bonds with others, to help one another, and to share life experiences. We are, simply, better together.

Recommended Reading List Created by CommunityFinders
- Recommended books on the need for community, community living skills, how to build a community, how to find a community, and case studies on community living
- Many resources are focused on co-housing, but still provide information helpful to individuals who are simply looking to be more connected