Public health is often presented as a binary, but like many things in life, it is more of a spectrum. So where does casting your ballot fall on that spectrum?
The federal agencies that control the policies and procedures that govern public health are largely staffed by hired individuals but led by appointed individuals. Who you vote for determines who is leading organizations like the CDC, NIH, EPA, and others. When you elect a presidential administration, you are also electing a cascade of federally appointed public health administrations.
Those appointed individuals not only fill important posts within their organizations with their preferred candidates, they also necessarily shift the direction of the agency, often suspending or initiating large impactful programs. These large impactful programs may take a bit of time to show up in everyday life or the effects may be immediate, but either way, who you vote for directly impacts who is in charge of the most prominent health institutions in the United States.
Voting is extremely public health.
Our series, "Is it Public Health?" examines all the ways public health factors into our daily lives.
|
|
Update: Student Ambassador Maya Tharoo gave us her Point Of View on our Instagram. Watch the full video.
