We have heard it said, “good fences make good neighbors”. An American cultural norm is that “good neighbors” are unobtrusive. A 2022 survey of Missourians further describes a good neighbor as someone who is “quiet and leaves them alone.” While there may be some truth to these sentiments, this view not only encourages detachment from those closest to us but also overlooks the potential of neighborhoods to influence health—and, as we suggest, of neighbors to actively promote health through social connection and collective resilience. Simply put, healthy neighboring is associated with the prevention of a myriad of illnesses, isolation, and stress. Please join us for two public classes from our Rural Health Promotion series, 'Neighboring as a Health Promotion Strategy'.

• November 19, 3-4 pm: Neighborhood Prevention Science 101

  • In this class, Dr. Shawna Beese, PhD, RN, will present the prevention science framework and discuss how it can be applied in our neighborhoods to enhance environmental protections and reduce health risks.