There's nothing like a relaxing, responsibility-free fall Saturday to end your week on a good note. Waking up to breezy wind and a cloudy sky, I felt as if today would be an extra relaxing (or exciting) day, since my beloved Michigan Wolverines were preparing to take on one of our historic rivals, Notre Dame. (Go Blue!)

As I rode quietly along on the Metro train, I noticed an abnormal amount of people boarding the train at each stop we made. Protesters. These individuals held picket signs and wore clothing that screamed patriotism. "Abortion is NOT health care." ""Solutions, not taxes." "Don't touch my health care." Messages of this sort seemed to deliver the basic message behind this group- These Americans were not pleased with the state of the health care debates, and they were against government intervention in the push for health care reform.

I'll be honest; in terms of my political leanings, I tend to be a bot more so on the liberal side, but I take great pride in the fact that people are exercising their rights to vocalize their opinions. It isn't necessarily a matter of who's view is "wrong" or "right", rather, it becomes a question of whether or not individuals are taking an active role in the creation of policies.

When it comes to the health care debate, I think it's safe to say that many individuals are speaking up and speaking out about this controversial matter.

Now, I certainly respect anyone's political views. Whether you identify as conservative, liberal, moderate, or fully independent, your views certainly have some validity in the debate over health care.

However, the ultimate question still looms- What would health reform look like? Who would be cared for? Finally, what would it cost?

As a PHCMer here at GWU (PHCM- Public Health Communications and Marketing), it has become even more clear these past few weeks just how necessary the field of health communications is in order to put our health care system back on track. The way information is disseminated to the general public can have a great effect on whether or not the message is received well or not at all.

For example, as members of Congress push their views in the battle for health care, is the information they are delivering to the public true?

Will health care reform equate to using taxpayer dollars to cover the health care costs of those who may not be legal citizens of the US?

Do health care reform plans include an initiative to pay for abortions? (Remember, this is not an argument over 'wrong' versus 'right' practices; rather, this is questioning the accuracy of the information presented to the public.)

Will a government-offered insurance option actually lead to the loss of insurance options offered by small businesses?

If so, then why? How? If not, then why not? How not?

There are so many questions people have brought to the table in regards to the health care reform initiatives. While political views will play a large role in the overall decisions made, health communications professionals are needed now more than ever to deliver straight-forward, comprehensive facts and data to the public, ensuring that individuals not only have access to these proposed health care solutions, but also making sure that these solutions make sense and can be comprehended by anyone seeking further knowledge.

Much easier said than done, I agree. However, as public health professionals, we have taken on an immense amount of work in this battle to make our world a healthier place to live. It is our responsibility to not only fight for the rights of all for access to health care. We also need to keep in mind our responsibility to provide factual, sharp-shooting, accurate information to the public as well as the stakeholders in order to empower people to take an active hand in their own health.

If we don't take time to research and present the facts now, what will happen three months from now?


-Erika Purcell-Williams

Here it is, Sunday night, August 16th, 9:00p, and I'm working on a public health blog.



Instead of spending my evening watching (in my opinion), one of the funniest animated cartoons on television by the name of Family Guy, I'm combing through a year's worth of notes and photos, trying to figure out the most appealing way to edit the official BPHSN website.



I watch my colleagues outside, enjoying the brisk summer air, and think to myself, "is it really worth it?"



What am I doing in the School of Public Health and Health Services?



I'll be honest; there were many times throughout my first year when this very question popped into my head. I found myself asking why I became a student at GWU during my first semester, when I had no idea what the field of epidemiology consisted of. I found myself struggling to answer this question during my second semester, when I just couldn't seem to compute the p-value of certain matrices during my biostats course. I pondered, time after time, my choice all throughout the summer as I traveled from country to country, spending time in HIV/AIDS community centers, local colleges, and universities in my second home, South Africa. What was I doing with my head constantly crammed in a book, slaving away at trying to perfect my research on the usage of fluoride? Why was I spending EVERY Friday night locked in Himmelfarb, trying to understand statistical measures and the significance of certain numbers, when I should have been at "Open Mic" night at Busboys and Poets on U St?



I simply want to become a newscaster. Is that too much to ask?



As I continue to wallow in self-pity, my best friend calls for our nightly re-cap. She begins to talk to me about the current state of things back home in Detroit: the streets are getting worse, public education is taking a nose dive (since the Board of Education made a move to declare bankruptcy earlier this year), and for some reason, more and more people seem to be...well, 'growing' in size. The city has become more obese."Why", she asked me, "does it seem that the D (our loving nickname for Detroit) can never get it together? I mean, MAN..." As she continued her lament, I noticed her comment about the problem of obesity in our city. It is a well-known fact that Detroit is a predominantly Black city, with African-Americans making up over 70% of the population. It is also a well-known fact that the city of Detroit is seeing some incrediblen economic turmoil simply because of the fall of the auto industry. Stick with me here: what in the WORLD does this have to do with public health?



Consider this fact: on the East Side of the Detroit, there are no grocery stores. None. Zero. This means that residents living in this area must travel outside of their neighborhood to gain access to fresh fruits, vegetables, or nutritious foods. For residents that do not have access to reliable transportation, they are forced to get their food from local convenience ('liquor') stores in the area. Have you ever seen a liquor store with a produce section? I haven't.



Let's further connect the dots: when these residents choose to not shop at local liqour stores, their food sources are limited to fast food, local restaurants, or possibly growing their own foods. Considering the economic downfall in the city, and the incredible job loss taking place, personal finances also come into play, limiting food choices even more to cheaper, accessible foods within the community. Put this situation into perspective: if you are one of those residents, restricted to limited food sources because of your economic situation and access, your concern for health and nutrition become secondary to your concern about access to food, period.



And we wonder why obesity is such a growing problem nationally, especially among people of color...



This is why I am in the field of public health. This is why I sacrifice all those lovely weekends to spend quality time with biology books and stats graphs. This is why I dreag my behind to group meetings and debate with other individuals about how we will present our (insert health issue here) campaign.



Maybe some of you are familiar with the health disparities taking place in Detroit. The truth is the problems experienced in my city are not that uncommon; they are simply magnified by other compunding factors, such as race, economic status, and income. However, the issue of obesity among people of color serves as one example of why the field of public health is so necessary, especially in a time such as this.



If I don't take the time to crunch and compute numbers in biostatistics, I won't be able to supprt my claims of obesity being a problem in the Black community with data. If I am not able to understand the psychological factors behind the making of 'bad' food choices, how can I convince someone to eat healtheir and exercise? All of these classes and studies are necessary if I plan on becoming an influential newscaster. It makes sense to me; if I don't buckle down to do this work, who will?



As you begin your journey through grad school here at GWU SPHHS (or if you're returning for your 2nd year, like me), ask yourself why you're here. Ask yourself why you are going to classes, writing papers, creating presentations, and working so diligently in the lab. Then take a walk outside of the school building; take some time to check out the neighborhoods and communities throughout the city. I am willing to bet that you will be able to answer those questions after that short journey.