An Ohio University medical student and an assistant professor decided to examine the relationship between six “social determinants of health” and the prevalence of diabetes. What they found isn’t really a surprise, but it could inform better decision-making.

According to a report by The Ohio Newsroom, a partnership of public media organizations across the state, these social determinants of health include factors such as safe housing, steady income or literacy.

Student Samuel Borgemenke and assistant professor Allyson Hughes found the counties in Appalachian Ohio tend to struggle most. Their study showed southeast Ohio has more children living in poverty, higher rates of food insecurity, lower numbers of primary care physicians, and more uninsured and poor people. We’ve also got nearly 20% of adults living with diabetes. That’s more than double the national average.

But what do we do about it? Hughes suggested ideas such as checking glucose levels earlier than usual if doctors know a patient experienced poverty or food insecurity as a child. Given that public policy is not her area of expertise, one can forgive Hughes for also generally saying Ohio needs to address child poverty and food deserts.

She’s right. But we’re missing the “how.”

The “how” must involve treating the cause as much as the symptoms. Generations of exploitation and economic hopelessness aren’t easily reversed. But if economic development officials worked to attract large employers with good-paying jobs for ALL regions — and communities had the support to provide better education, site readiness, plentiful affordable housing and good healthcare — many of those social determinants of health would evaporate.

If the goal is for Buckeye State residents to be happier and healthier, THAT is where we must start.