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. As the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) summarizes it: “Voting offers a chance for people to contribute to decisions that can affect their communities and directly or indirectly impact their health and well-being. Voting can also help people develop a sense of purpose and help them feel connected to their community.” Belonging and civic muscle are at the core of ensuring all communities thrive.
Evidence abounds that voting and health are related. According to a 2020 scoping review, “people with worse health tend to be less likely to engage in voting.” At a population level, states with restrictive voting laws saw higher COVID-19 case and mortality rates, and have higher levels of people without health insurance (particularly young, minority, and lower-income residents) as well as higher teenage birth rates. There is no doubt that voting impacts health.
The mission of the AAMC is to “… improve the health of people everywhere.” Supporting members’ efforts to address the social factors that stand in the way of patient and community health is central to that mission. Public opinion backs up the science: In the Center for Health Justice’s 2022 survey, 76% of U.S. adults said that voting can impact the health of their communities. It makes sense that health care organizations are a part of that.
August is Civic Health Month and a perfect time to think about what opportunities for civic engagement look like in your community. Check out these resources from Vot-ER and the AAMC Center for Health Justice.
Fact Sheet for Nonpartisan Voter Registration at Health Care InstitutionsDid you know that the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 allows health care providers, medical schools, and teaching hospitals to encourage their staff, patients, students, and communities to register to vote? Check out this fact sheet to learn more about what health care organizations can do to get out the vote.
Civic Engagement: A Vital Sign of Health and Democracy
Civic engagement has a positive impact on the health of communities, providing health care institutions with opportunities to help people become more engaged. Learn more about the Center’s poll of U.S. adults.
Health Care Organizations Can Get Out the Vote
An op-ed published in MedPage Today by AAMC senior director for science policy and regulatory counsel Heather Pierce, JD, MPH, explores how civic engagement is good for both patients and providers.
Comments on Healthy People 2030 New Proposed Objective on Voting
In 2022, the Center provided comments to the HHS Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion on its proposed objective to increase the number of citizens who vote.
AAMC Collaborative for Health Equity: Act, Research, Generate Evidence (CHARGE)
AAMC CHARGE is a nationwide, multidisciplinary group of health equity champions and community partners. Members collaborate on research and policy projects in topical working groups, including on civic engagement. AAMC CHARGE also informs the Center’s recommendations to the federal government.
AAMC CHARGE's Health Justice Research Agenda
The Center's research focuses on three key areas to inform policies and practices that address systemic inequities, including civic engagement.
