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 includes “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.
Fact Sheet for Nonpartisan Voter Registration at Health Care Institutions
Medical schools and teaching hospitals can support an inclusive democracy by encouraging civic engagement among students, staff, and patients.
Civic Engagement Resources
By focusing on solutions supported by individuals of varying ideologies, we can strengthen our democracy and build stronger, healthier communities.
Increasing the number of engaged voters expands representation, shaping the policies that affect the health of our neighbors and communities.
The center's research will focus on three key areas to to inform policies and practices that address systemic inequities.
The center provides comments on a new proposed objective to increase the number of citizens who vote.
Civic engagement has a positive impact on the health of communities, providing health care institutions with opportunities to help people become more engaged.
A new op-ed published in MedPage Today and authored by Heather Pierce explores how civic engagement is good for both patients and providers.
Health care organizations can support an inclusive democracy and health equity by integrating nonpartisan voter education and registration into their services.
Watch the panel discussion on incorporating health equity in health professions education from Righting the Wrongs: Tackling Health Inequities.
The Center for Health Justice conducts nationally representative polling to ask the public about the health equity issues that matter to them.
Helpful tips from the AAMC Center for Health Justice and Vot-ER, a nonpartisan organization that works to integrate voter registration into health care.