Health and the Media

After finally reading one of the books I intended to read last summer, 'Healthier: Fifty Thoughts on the Foundations of Population Health' by Sandro Galea, the author touched on multiple topics and public health. In one of the sections, I came across his chapter on engaging the media.

Social media has been an increasingly popular platform and it's time we learn how to use it as a tool for change. We saw how powerful it can really be making Popeye's chicken sandwich overwhelmingly popular (I totally support the downfall of food chains that support Trump by the way) and bringing awareness to global issues so maybe we also have the power to do the same with other important movements, like public health.

Like any other millennial, I receive most of my information and 'news' via Instagram so when I came across this section in Galea's book, I was hoping to read how the media was just doing just that, being a tool to engage this day in age audience. As highlighted in his book, most of media engagement is in commercials. When I think of public health in the media I think of those really intense commercials (possibly even triggering) of addiction that I can hardly bare to watch. The focus is on scaring the audience of the dangers of addiction as well as providing statistics on the epidemic.

I would like to explore other methods of engaging the audience with public health, using it as a tool for change and place where we can receive and exchange information to be in conversation with public health.