In addition to being a board member of ACPM I also serve on the board of the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH). In that role, and as chair of the ASPPH Advocacy Committee, I recently moderated a webinar titled “The Importance of Voting and Countering Misinformation in Public Health.” We profiled ASPPH’s “Voting is Public Health” guide an initiative that highlights the critical link between civic engagement and health outcomes.
I want to take that same message to ACPM members. As preventive medicine and public health professionals, understanding and promoting this connection between civic engagement and health outcomes is vital to our mission.Yet, our profession may not be the best at voting. Health care workers – including physicians, nurses, physician assistants and dentists – make up about 14% of U.S. workers, about 22 million people, per the U.S. Census. But in one study adjusted voting rates for health care workers were lower than expected. In the case of physicians, it was 12% lower with an adjusted voting rate for physicians of 0.88 (95% CI 0.83, 0.92) compared to the general population (Solnick RE, Choi H, Kocher KE. J Gen Intern Med. 2021 Jan 22;36(4):1169-1171.).
With just a few days to go before election day, I want to reemphasize the importance of participating in the voting process to ensure the voices of health care workers — and all people interested in public health — are heard. Hopefully, many of you have already committed to this and have already voted or intend to vote. My last-minute outreach is to those who have not committed to connect as voters. Voting is more than a civic duty; it directly influences public health policies that affect all of us. From healthcare access to environmental regulations and mental health services, the policies shaped by our votes impact community well-being.
Voting is a public health issue. By advocating for increased voter participation, we help shape a healthier and more equitable society. Let’s work together to make civic engagement a public health priority. Thank you for your commitment to this cause!
So, just do it! Vote!
Boris D. Lushniak, MD, MPH, FACPM
Regent-at-Large