Health care workers – including physicians, nurses, physician assistants, and dentists – make up about 14% of U.S. workers, about 22 million people, per the U.S. Census. Yet health care workers are 12-23% less likely to vote than the general population, according to research published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.
As the national election approaches on Tuesday, November 5, the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH) wants to ensure voices of health care workers - and all people interested in public health – are heard. On October 16, the organization hosted a webinar on the importance of voting and combating information in public health as part of its Voting is Public Health campaign. Moderated by the University of Maryland School of Public Health Dean Boris Lushniak, the event aimed to help educate public health professionals, educators and students on the link between voting and health and how to tackle false information. (The event was recorded and slides made available.)
“As public health professionals, understanding and promoting this connection is vital to our mission,” said Lushniak. “Voting is more than a civic duty; it directly influences public health policies that affect all of us. From healthcare access to environmental regulations and mental health services, the policies shaped by our votes impact community well-being.”
Panelist Gnora R.G. Mahs, partnerships director at Healthy Democracy Healthy People, said voting impacts health since elections determine the individual who makes final decisions on health policies.
“Health is always on the ballot,” said Mahs. “We are always voting for health, even when we may not think we are. It’s really important for us to see voting as a part of the stream for changing the context for our health”
University of Minnesota School of Public Health Dean Melinda Pettigrew cited the interconnectedness between health and health policy, saying voting is a determinant of health – with less healthy people tending to vote less often – and a way to protect and promote health equity.
“Voting protects every other right,” said Pettigrew, a panelist at the event. “It’s critically important for people to stay informed in local elections.”
When it comes to election misinformation, there are three types: manipulated information, fabricated information and tricks of content, according to panelist Dan Evon, senior manager of education design for the News Literacy Project. Manipulated information is any text or image that is altered or edited in any way, falsely misleading viewers. Fabricated information is any information that is not based on any truth. Tricks of content include AI-generated images and sheer assertions, where statements are made with no evidence, which is the most common form of misinformation.
Evon encourages students and the general public to become active news readers to address misinformation. Active reading means taking the time to fact-check and ensure the content being consumed is from credible sources, he said. “From a news consumer’s perspective, we have to be aware that people are trying to create doubt in the integrity of elections,” Evon said. “It is incredibly important for [the public] to develop critical thinking skills and take the time to examine this content.”
Closing the discussion, Lushniak encouraged everyone to take part in the election.
“Be sure to vote next month,” he said. “We can drive policy changes that address social determinants of health, such as housing, education and income, creating healthier environments for everyone.”
Learn to identify and prevent misinformation
Types of misinformation
- Manipulated Information: Text or images that has been altered or edited in any way, misleading viewers.
- Fabricated Information: Information that is not based on any truth
- Tricks of Content: Includes AI-generated images and sheer assertions, where statements are made with no evidence. This is the most common form of misinformation.
How to avoid misinformation
- Consume news actively: Don’t simply accept what you read, but check facts and be sure to view media through a critical lens. Sites like FactCheck.org and the News Literacy Project’s RumorGuard can help you sort fact from fiction.
- Check the source: Consume news from trusted sources of media. Not sure how? The News Literacy Project has a two-minute quiz to help you spot an untrustworthy source - and identify a reputable one.
- Sumaya Abdel-Motagaly ’26