Civic Engagement

Giving all people a chance to make their voices heard on the issues that make their communities healthy.

There’s a reason why the U.S. government’s Healthy People 2030 initiative included “increasing the proportion of voting-age citizens who vote” among its measures of community health. Overall, states with restrictive voting laws saw higher COVID-19 case and mortality rates, higher teenage birth rates, and more people without health insurance, particularly young, minority, and lower-income residents. There is no doubt that voting impacts health. 

Academic medicine and other institutions of all sectors have vital roles to play in ensuring that everyone in their community has opportunities for civic engagement of all kinds. Civic engagement activities such as voting, volunteering, contacting representatives, and attending local government meetings are meaningful ways for people from all walks of life to be active participants in shaping the policies that affect their health and well-being.