Happy Holidays! I hope you all enjoyed the free time with your family and friends. With 2024 closing out, the news is filled with the “best of 2024” as well as predictions for 2025. I’ll offer my only prediction for 2025: This will be the year when public health – from the food we eat to the infectious diseases and vaccines against chronic diseases – is discussed. Our work will be discussed at the table and debated endlessly on social media; it will be the subject of newspaper articles, newsletters and advertising campaigns; and public health science will be a topic everyone will want to learn more about.
We will have the opportunity to talk about the wide range of public health influences and tell our stories. We have the opportunity to explain our science and attract more people to our field. To have these conversations, we must be prepared and remember that our mission is not to fight with one political or ideological side or the other. Rather, it is about dispelling myths and providing science-based information so that individuals, and even society, can make informed decisions. It is our duty to be a reliable and unbiased source in our research and recommendations.
What is public health? Your family, friends, neighbors and co-workers may be more knowledgeable about medications and treatments than what makes our communities healthy. Of course, things like clean air and water, safe housing and food, freedom from physical and mental assault come immediately to mind. But what about a good education, including the ability to dissect scientific information, or financial viability? What about access to health care like health insurance, affordability, specialists and even legislative freedom to access medications and treatments that can help them? What about information such as the harms of high THC concentration, the need to wear a bicycle helmet and much more? Public health is at the heart of each of these areas and more. Additionally, some forms of public health fall into the realm of “I never want to see another one again…” with the void filled with things like an overdose, accidental or intentional injury, advanced cancer diagnosis, anything that can be avoided. with evidence-based practices.
These questions are at the heart of public health. They determine whether we live a healthy life, which, in turn, determines our ability to thrive. Much of public health is about addressing behaviors, the social and political determinants of health, and the regulations that govern industry and shape our environment and well-being. This is where public health science helps make the world a healthier place by creating conditions in which disease does not occur. Many of these topics depend on a shared interpretation of the available evidence. This is where we public health scientists come in – when we tell the story of how public health has worked well rather than letting it become a source of distrust.
Here’s an important part of telling our stories at the dinner table, at a neighborhood potluck, in gym class, in professional settings, and in every other place we find ourselves: Listen to other people’s stories . What informs their opinions? Is this an experience they had or someone’s experience they have now? Was it a compelling social media story? Is it based on fear, as many opinions are formed to avoid harm? It is just as important for us to listen and understand as it is to inform. For us, much of public health is “established science.” But for others, they are bombarded with information, the science evolves, and current best practices can change quickly. Household items that have been used for years (think black plastics) suddenly become harmful. It’s easy for someone who doesn’t live in our space to get exasperated. We must listen to the exasperation and be prepared to answer the questions. Meeting people where they are is the only way to progress.
The new year is upon us. The year 2025 will be filled with opportunities for public health. It is important to note that this is not the time to simply survive but to thrive. Political landscapes are changing and we will witness them in our lifetimes, but public health endures.
Have a wonderful New Year! I look forward to our continued partnership and look forward to exploring new possibilities in the weeks and months to come.