The Durham Way

Once the heart of America’s tobacco and textile production, Durham County, N.C., is now home to burgeoning biotechnology and medical sectors. Unfortunately for many residents of the “City of Medicine,” the changing landscape has not translated to better health outcomes. For decades, Durham County has struggled to overcome both racial and socioeconomic inequities and the community continues to face high rates of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, sexually transmitted diseases, increasing unemployment, high poverty and low high school graduation rates.

Despite these challenges, the community has a rich history and incredible modern assets to draw upon in its transformation. Today, Durham County leaders, health care partners and residents are responding as one, and are forging a new approach to prosperity and equity known as “The Durham Way.”
 

[For more of this story go to http://www.rwjf.org/en/library...prize-durham-nc.html]