Global Health Blogs with Professor Swahn

Student Reflections on Topics Covered in our Class

Global Health Blogs with Professor Swahn

The Tobacco Industry Has No Shame: The Vape Situation & Commercial Determinants of Health

September 26, 2020 · No Comments · CDoH, Uncategorized

Teens Who Use Flavored E-cigarettes More Likely to Keep Vaping, Take More PuffsE Cig Stock Photos And Images - 123RF

“Money talks and bullshit walks” was a moto of the tobacco companies in 1999 and that’s a strategy they have stuck with [1]. But first what are commercial determinants of health? More or less, they are factors that influence health which stem from a profit motive, like the promotion of products that are known to be detrimental to human health. So, we’re talking marketing, advertisements, and policy influencing strategies to get you hooked! Read more about the ethical implications of commercial determinants of health.

These strategies aren’t new to the tobacco industry. They have pushed billions into advertisements and politics to stop tobacco regulations in the past, yet the anti-smoking campaigns of the 90s and 00s were widely affective in changing the perception of smoking to a negative one, leaving the tobacco industry with a huge gap in their “consumers.” Now with E-cigarettes and a new vape “culture,” the industry has addicted a whole new generation who were against conventional cigarettes. Time to get back to using all their decades old tactics in full force once again: E-cigs the newest frontier of the war between the tobacco industry and public health.

What are these ‘tactics’?

Well just to name a few big ones…because there are many avenues through which they push their agenda on the us.

Monetary contributions: Three ways the tobacco industry uses their money to safeguard their interests: 1. They give significant sums of money to the campaigns of politicians who oppose tobacco regulations. 2. By funding scientific researchers who will produce the findings that they want. And 3. Giving contributions to ‘Good Samaritan’ philanthropies to improve their public image. What was that 1999 quote again? Oh right.

Lobbying: Tobacco and E-cig companies have extensive lobbying networks. In 2015 two of the biggest companies had 450 registered lobbyists across the country [1]. What do the lobbyists do? They aggressively oppose taxes on tobacco products, smoking bans, and regulations on marketing tactics.

And the tactic we’ll discuss a little more in depth: marketing, and advertising! Tobacco product companies put millions, if not billions, of dollars into advertising platforms; and with the extensive social media networks now a days, there are so many new opportunities for ad placement. They also use marketing strategies to target vulnerable populations such as minorities and children.  On top of that they create ads which portray vaping as cool or glamorous while introducing all the yummy flavors! Coming out with flavors such as strawberry and pink lemonade was just another marketing tactic used to get more youth to try vaping.  

In many instances the ads also contain misleading harm claims. For the first few years vapes were on the market, the companies weren’t affiliated with big tobacco and pushed the idea that E-cigs were a “harmless” alternative to cigarettes, but now with new information showing there ARE harmful effects combined with big tobacco’s increased involvement, you don’t see that as much.

One example of how they can circumvent bans on advertising is portrayed in a vaping and Instagram ad study, which showed tobacco company employees promote their products by posting pictures of events and sales, thus not having to deal with the commercial advisement regulations of the platform (examples in the image above) [2].

There is currently a lawsuit against Juul, a leading E-cig company, that has accused them of illegally targeting young people online. Not only are they accused of creating advertisements using ‘youthful’ models, but also of buying ad space on websites such as Nickelodeon and The Cartoon Network… Uh I mean we all like to watch cartoons sometimes (or is that just me) but I’m sure everyone would agree the main audience of these networks is kids…These re only a few of the allegations in the lawsuit, read more here [3].

Where are we at now, policy wise, with vaping and E-cigs?

Not to get into all the legal jargon, but the FDA has finally imposed new “enforcement priorities” in regard to electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) products, after being forced to by a US district court in July 2019. To go into effect March 2020, though they vague and contain loopholes, the new “enforcement priorities” are:

“(1) flavored, cartridge-based ENDS products (except for tobacco or menthol-flavored products)”

                           

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hmm. Like these: Which are still being sold?       

 “(2) all other ENDS products for which the manufacturer failed to take (or is failing to take) adequate measures to prevent minors’ access”

                            Hmm. Like the lawsuits against Juul alleging they shipped cigarettes to high schoolers?

“(3) any ENDS products targeted to, or whose marketing is likely to promote use by, minors.”

                            Hmm. Like advertising on the Cartoon Network?

“(4) any ENDS product…that is offered for sale in the United States after May 12, 2020, and for which the manufacturer has not submitted a premarket application” [4].

                           Hmm. How will this play out?

Well, one article predicts that this will lead to a huge reduction in smaller vape companies giving big tobacco more control of the entire market since they “can afford to undertake the costly and uncertain FDA premarket application process yet paradoxically have the least interest in reducing cigarette smoking” [4]. And since the FDA seems to be oh so reluctant to create regulations, just now initiating these enforcements mentioned above over a decade after E-cigs hit the market, it’s likely the tobacco industry will always stay a few steps ahead of the agency with their ingenuity in marketing tactics and shady maneuvers around regulations.

The tobacco industry has power and money on their side so we must get involved with counter campaigns such as the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and the CDCs successful National Tobacco Education Campaign. More and more evidence is showing harmful effects of vaping, from carcinogens to heart palpitations and many more; but we won’t know the true burden to public health until years in the future. So let’s not wait and see what happens to our youth, lets nip this commercial determinant of health in the bud now!

 

Cailee Hill

 

 

Citations:

  1. 1. Kusnetz, N. (2016, March 25). How Big Tobacco lobbies to safeguard e-cigarettes. Retrieved September 21, 2020, from https://publicintegrity.org/politics/state-politics/how-big-tobacco-lobbies-to-safeguard-e-cigarettes/

2. Chu, K., Allem, J., Cruz, T. B., & Unger, J. B. (2016). Vaping on Instagram: Cloud chasing, hand checks and product placement. Tobacco Control, 26(5), 575-578. doi:10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2016-053052

3. Musil, S. (2020, February 13). Juul targeted kids with ads on Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, lawsuit alleges. Retrieved September 21, 2020, from https://www.cnet.com/health/juul-targeted-kids-with-ads-on-cartoon-network-nickelodeon-lawsuit-alleges/

4. Houston, A. R., Howard, A., & Sweanor, D. (2020). Placing the Legal Vape Market in the Hands of Big Tobacco. American Journal of Public Health, 110(6), 781-782. doi:10.2105/ajph.2020.305676

 

 

 

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Commercial Determinants of Health: A Call for Action

September 21, 2020 · 2 Comments · CDoH, Uncategorized

Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are known to cause “premature deaths” and increase the disease (cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancers, and respiratory diseases etc.) burden globally. Each year, 41 billion lives are lost to NCDs which accounts for about 71% of all deaths globally. About 85% of these deaths occur in low- and middle- income countries, amongst individuals (30-69 years of age) that indulge in high risk behaviors such as tobacco use, physical inactivity, harmful use of alcohol and consumption of unhealthy diets. All the high-risk behaviors are preventable and therefore, prevention of NCDs calls for action (globally). The prevention strategies should be developed considering social determinants and commercial determinants of health.

Definition of Commercial Determinants of Health

The World Health Organization defines Social Determinants of Health as “the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age as well as the complex, interrelated social structures and economic systems that shape these conditions” and Commercial Determinants of Health (CDoH), as “factors that influence health which stem from the profit motive.” However, in 2016, Kickbusch and her colleagues came up with a more precise definition for CDoH and defined it as “strategies and approaches used by the private sector to promote products and choices that are detrimental to health.”

List of Commercial Determinants of Health

As we know, Health is not only influenced by biologic and genetic factors but is also determined by the socioeconomic factors including income levels and educational status. Moreover, it is not only the social environment but the political agendas, corporate activities that shape our environment and determine the availability, promotion, and pricing of consumables. Corporate activities such as promotion and marketing of harmful goods such as sugar sweetened beverages, tobacco, alcohol use, and unhealthy foods and drinks (containing salts, trans fats, added sugars and chemicals/preservatives) affects the health of the consumers. Additionally, other commodities such as use of chemicals, pesticides, motor vehicles, drugs, guns etc. also add to the list of harmful/unhealthy commodities. These unhealthy commodities tend to create an unhealthy environment (increased air and noise pollution, lack of access to essential medications, clean water, and healthy foods, increased injuries due to motor vehicle crashes and gun violence) and pose a threat to individuals health.

Drivers and Tactics used to Promote Commercial Determinants of Health

Corporates or Transnational companies’ major motto is to make profit out of their commodities. Several factors aid in this process such as:

1)Business Practices (Internationalization of trade and capital) – through corporate citizenships and supply chains in lower- and middle-income countries

2)Market Practices (Supply and Demand market) – Increasing supply chain and marketing tactics

3)Political Practices (Expanding Outreach of Corporations) – Lobbying and Funding Government and Federal agencies

 

Globalization has indeed contributed in economic development but has lead us into Industrial epidemic where Multinational and Transnational Corporations act as Global Drivers to promote the production, sell and consumption of unhealthy commodities through business, market and political strategies and create an environment that causes nothing but ill-health.

One of the most common marketing strategies include advertising and commercials to vulnerable target populations through catchy tag lines and slogans that portray the unhealthy commodity as the most essential and required goods for living and for being healthy. Some examples include:

“It’s Game Day” – Heineken

“I’m lovin it” – Mc Donald’s

“It’s finger lickin` good” – KFC

“Open Happiness” – Coca Cola

“Betcha can’t eat just once” – Lays

“Take a Break, Eat a Kit-Kat” – Kit-Kat

        

                                        

 

Why is it Necessary to Understand Commercial Determinants of Health?

Even though we do not realize; we are surrounded by the products and unhealthy commodities at every single moment. We are currently living in an environment that is created and dominated by the corporations that market and produce these unhealthy commodities. Most public health prevention strategies and interventions aim for behavior change to combat the burden of NCDs. However, epidemiologic research suggest that behavior change interventions have short term effects and does not contribute towards the long-term goals. But research also suggest that interventions aimed at policy change and taxation have long lasting impact on high-risk behaviors and disease reductions as seen with tobacco products. Under the World Health Organization’s  “Tobacco Free Initiative (TFI),” a significant increase on taxes and prices for tobacco products were imposed along with other tobacco control measures such as advertising bans and public smoking bans to ensure the effectiveness of tobacco control measures and reduce tobacco use. As a result of this initiative, by 2015, the rates of current users of any form of tobacco has declined from a third of the global population (33.3% in year 2000) to a quarter (24.9%) of the global population (both sexes combined, aged 15 years and older).

 

Thus, as consumers, we should understand the corporate tactics used to promote the unhealthy commodities and try to make informed and responsible decisions.

Transnationals: A Boon or Curse?

The term “Commercial Determinants of Health (CDoH)” is a relatively new term and a comparatively less explored research area.  However, we should not forget to recognize the positive attributes that these commercial determinants and transnational companies have contributed towards strengthening economies. But, looking at the recent activities, amidst COVID-19 pandemic, it is debatable whether the positive outcomes outweigh the negative impacts of CDoH and the transnationals on health and health outcomes. The transnationals did not miss the opportunity and came out as the “pandemic heroes” serving millions of needy individuals with the unhealthy commodities during unprecedented times. Ms. Prachi Kathuria, Co-Ordinator, Healthy India Alliance- India NCD Alliance, said:

“The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the vulnerability of people living with NCDs to COVID-19 related complications. The unhealthy commodities industries have even managed to plot misleading marketing strategies during a global public health emergency, challenging healthy behaviors and health promoting policies. It is the collective responsibility of all stakeholders to shield vulnerable citizens from these misleading tactics and work smartly to Build Back Better.”

It will be a lie if I said I did not agree with Ms. Kathuria. The global pandemic (COVID-19) has only grown the relationship between communicable and non-communicable diseases stronger. And the Commercial Determinants of Health and its advocates (corporations and transnationals) have managed to mislead the vulnerable population and made the sufferers more suffer.

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The Exploitation of Commercial Determinants of Health During COVID-19

September 21, 2020 · 1 Comment · CDoH, Uncategorized

         Sugary foods have all played an powerful role in our daily LIVES. They are literally available everywhere to us, and have been placed right at our fingertips.  Alcohol, fast foods, sugary beverages , and many more all change the way we think especially during these times of crisis. In this blog, I will discuss how COVID-19 has had a significant impact on the unhealthy commodities in all parts of the world. I will further offer suggestions on how we can negate the commercial determinants and further exploitation of health.

Big business and companies have always been on the mission of charging people for profit. Big business often times exploit people for so little of what they know. I offer, 

Is there really anything new under the sun?

       Lets first take a look at KRISPY KREME.  According to our class reading “Signature Virtue Promoting Harm” Unhealthy Commodity Industries; international Company Krispy Kreme leveraged COVID-19 in  a marketing campaign purposely serving smiles by offering free donuts to health care and frontline workers in New Zealand, and the US, and the UK.

 

 

            Now according to product development this  can be great, however there are more darker themes present  Let us take a look closer now at another country below.

 

             Next we take a look at the crooked scandals of McDonalds, and Dominoes in a lesser developing country. Here we have a country that does not have as many resources as UK, USA, or NEW ZEALEND. In Guatemala, dire needs are more prevalent such as food, and running water. However ,McDonalds  took it upon themselves to deliver sizeable meals to health staff at a COVID-19 hospital. Dominoes had also made it a pressing need to deliver pizzas to 223 Guatemalans arriving home the United States living in a temporary shelter. 

             Next we will discuss the Marketing Strategies of these companies. According to Ms. Prachi Kathuria, Co-Coordinator, Healthy India-Alliance NCD Alliance. ” The Covid-19 Pandemic has exposed thee vulnerability of people living with NCD’s to COVID-19 related complications. The unhealthy commodities industries have even managed to plot misleading marketing strategies.”

       Several companies have adopted a online media measure to leverage promotions during this pandemic because of consumer usage and time spent on there phones. Even I have bearded witnessed to these ideas, for example, Instagram, and Facebook will bombard you with multiple advertisements based on the seasons of your clicks, and searches. Below are several marketing strategies implemented by various companies across the globe

     –   In the Philippines, KFC and Nintendo joined forced to combine popular Facebook game “Animal Crossing,” with fast food and social media. What players can do is visit a virtual KFC café and win real KFC giveaways.

  –      In the US, fast food chain Burger King gave give-away products to those who caught a QR-code moving around there TV-SCREENS.

  –     In Romania, a branch of “MILKA CHOCLATE” recruited young social media and YouTube followers into a virtual Easter egg hunt. 

      – In other countries such as Kampala, alcohol is being advertised as a commodity on  billboards,  street signs, and for local newspapers, for the youth in that country according to (Swahn et al).

 

    In many other countries unhealthy commodity industries are globalizing more and more. They are offering many things such as donations and partnering with local and national charities such as NGO’S. What this means is they have more access to reach MUCH target target audiences. Below are a few example of what’s bein done. 

        

     – In Thailand, PEPSICO has partnered with the anti-poverty agency Raks, Thai, a member of CARE     international. What there doing is they’re reaching out out to less impoverished communities to help them raise money, for example the “Give for Hope” partnership with Raks Thai, announced a $18 million to donate.

 

      -In Canada  “Kraft Heinz Canada” is similarly promoting its partnership with “Food Banks Canada” providing million meals in need to Canadian. This is also accompanied by a twitter campaign high-lilting ultra-processed food products such as the  Kraft Dinner macaroni and cheese, and peanut butter.

 

         -In Bolivia, the Coca, Cola Company donated close to $300,000 through UNDP to provide assistance to healthcare workers and vulnerable populations.

      – These collaborations with local NGO’s have led to an increase patterns of marketing strategies, moreover due to the response of COVID-19 more partnerships, with gaming industries have also began such as the online gaming company “Flowplay” which has worked together with the American CANCER SOCIETY to generate funds to support “Hope Lodge Facilities,” which offers there caregivers and cancer patients a place to stay.

      Finally we will discuss how the commodity industries have had a long history of influencing public policy with in the Government…

Some of the things which have been done…. .

           –Lobbying to have unhealthy commodities included in a list of “essential products” (this highlights the companies use of trade pressure)

         – Working to undermine health and environment regulations.

        -seeking to regulate the easing of lockdown

         –attempting to shape strategies for economic recovery

          Ultimately these unhealthy food corporations must be stopped. I suggest that we take steps on multi-national levels to increase food awareness in healthier choices. Some suggestions would be 

 

  • Give classes on nutrition (locally) / (government subsidized)
  • Introduce people to diseases/illness which are directly resulted from unhealthy  commercial products. (i/e pamphlets on health, videos/ted-talks)
  • PROVIDE Funding for healthier food access
  • Allow different partnerships which support more vegan lifestyle choices.
  • Entertain the possibility of self sustainable food growth, (urban gardens).

 

 

 

 

ENJOY.

 

  –

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Commercial Determinants of Health: My Thoughts!

September 18, 2020 · No Comments · CDoH, Uncategorized

Commercial Determinants of Health can be described as, “strategies and approaches used by the private sector to promote products and choices that are detrimental to health” (Kickbusch et al, 2016).  This sector in public health is a relatively new field in which researchers are paying more and more attention to as the impact of these factors are becoming abundantly clear. As corporations continue to encourage the unhealthy habits around the world, researchers have reported a rise in the presence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. Although efforts have been made to initiate a healthier change in lifestyle for the general population, corporations have created smart and effective ways to reach consumers through the use of eight different channels and pathways: conceptual framework, governance, accountability, transparency marketing, lobbying, corporate social responsibility strategies, and supply chains. 

The commercial determinants of health - The Lancet Global Health

One of the most common ways corporations reach their target consumers would be through marketing. When you think of the word “commercial,” the first thing that probably comes to mind is a bunch of harmless television advertisements. Santa Claus drinking an ice-cold Coca Cola in December, couples giving one another a Hershey Kiss on Valentine’s Day, Tony the Tiger telling kids that Frosted Flakes are “grrrreeeeeaaat!” for them. You all have seen them, your family has probably seen them, and although I do not often watch television, I have definitely seen my fair share of them. They are so common that sometimes we do not even realize the effect they have on our daily life. Well, what if I told you that the impacts these advertisements have on your life were actually pretty harmful? Shocking, I know! But that does not mean that I am telling you that Santa and Tony the Tiger are secretly out to harm your health. I am bringing attention to the fact that, as consumers, we are easily influenced by the products many corporations sell to us in order to make a profit. Meanwhile, ongoing research projects conducted by public health scientists, pertaining to the topic of Commercial Determinants of Health, begin to offer an explanation as to how these corporations have become so successful in their quest to earn the big bucks Coca-Cola: Santa, 1

In these recent studies, one of the main factors reported that has helped lead corporations to be so successful would be the emphasis on appealing to a target audience. Currently, about 40% of the world’s populations lives on a budget of $2-$10 per day. This 40% of the population is the largest income group in the world, therefore they are the major target of consumer goods especially in regards to processed foods, tobacco products, alcohol, and sugary drinks. Since corporations are using this income group as their target population, they are able to make their products more affordable than healthier alternatives, therefore prompting this group to purchase more processed goods. Although there are many negative impacts on the health of the population when targeting this specific group, it is evident that these corporation in the private sector are assisting in a large amount of  economic growth, moving millions of people out of poverty. However, the economic growth does not deter the fact that the products that are purchased more frequently are unhealthy and contribute greatly to the rising trends of non-communicable diseases in the world. Diseases such as diabetes, obesity, and heart disease are increasing at an alarming rate and researchers are concerned not only for the health of the population, but also on the future of the economy. According to the World Bank’s calculations, it is projected that developing countries are expected to lose 84 billion dollars of productivity in a decade. This major hit to the economy would be as a result of the death and disability of the population caused by non-communicable diseases.

Tree of non communicable diseases

The impacts of commercial determinants of health are not only traced back to non-communicable diseases and the economy, but they are also prevalent in one of the most recent issues in the world. I consider the impact of this sector in public health one of the most important impacts in relation to the efforts of the public health community in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic. 2020: ECC message concerning the coronavirus (COVID-19) - Elgin Community College (ECC)COVID-19 has been an aggressive and exceedingly prevalent issue in our nation that has taken the lives of far too many. The burden of this pandemic has been large in many ways, and it is not a secret that many corporations have struggled to meet the demands of products necessary in fighting this virus. Products such as masks, testing kits, and sanitizers have not been able to be produced at the rate necessary to fight this pandemic properly. The researchers in this article note that the framework of the commercial determinants of health in the private sector has been able to reduce the burden of COVID-19 in many ways in response to the shortage of supplies. For example, companies were able to get creative and create reusable masks out of clothing to reduce the spread of transmission and advertisements have been able to encourage social distancing methods in public places. This article explains how the framework for commercial determinants of health of the private sector can also serve as preparation in the event a similar issue or health emergency were to occur in the future.  

Although commercial determinants of health are a relatively new sector in public health, that does not negate the great impact it is has had on the population of the world. As corporations continue to push the selling and advertising of products that are known to wreak havoc on the overall health of the population, it is imperative to create initiatives to put in motion that provide healthier alternatives. Policies need to be created and reviewed to protect the integrity of our vulnerable populations, especially the more impressionable ones that include children and adolescents. If large corporations continue to focus their efforts on making the most money without any regard for the overall health of every individual in the world, the future  will be in great danger. Economically and medically, it is without a doubt and exceedingly clear that things cannot continue the way they have been. It is up to us to fight for the rights of those in the world by creating better initiatives in the public health sector in order to ensure equity among consumers regardless of demographics. It is imperative, now more than ever, that we continue to search for ways to unite as one, on a mission to healthier, happier, and safer living conditions.

Will Be Able To Better Understand The Problems Of Patients - People Holding Hands Around Clipart (893x895), Png Download

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Commercial Determinants of Health: Have You Seen these Marketing Strategies?

September 15, 2020 · No Comments · CDoH, Uncategorized

Most of us have heard of Social Determinants of Health. But have you ever heard of Commercial Determinants of Health (CDoH)? 

If you haven’t, you’re not alone! The World Health Organization (WHO) defines CDoH as “factors that influence health which stem from the profit motive. Corporate activities shape our environments and determine the availability, promotion and pricing of consumables.” They are strategies used by corporations to sell their products for profit that are detrimental to our health and well-being.

We have all witnessed CDoH, but we probably didn’t play close attention to the ads we were looking at. Here are a couple of examples of what you’ve probably seen:

If you think these alcohol ads are aimed at women, you are correct! The advertisements aimed at women use ‘feminine’ colors, such as pink, and state that their alcoholic beverages are sweet and contain only a few calories to get us (women) to buy their product. As a result, more and more women are drinking and “narrowing the gender gap in drinking disorders.” Research shows that women could possibly be more vulnerable to alcohol because they are more susceptible to organ damage and achieve greater alcohol concentrations because women have less body water when compared to men. To include, women are also more susceptible to traffic crashes, trauma, and legal and interpersonal difficulties as a result of alcohol consumption. 

Moreover, more companies are using the COVID-19 pandemic to advertise unhealthy food. One example comes from Krispy Kreme; they have offered 1,500 free donuts to healthcare and essential or other frontline workers in a hospital in London.

This is a huge problem because many of the people who test positive for COVID-19 already have noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and are overweight. Having companies market their unhealthy foods is a terrible thing since people with NCDs are the ones who are experiencing the worst outcomes from this pandemic. Many people are already at high risk when it comes to COVID-19, and increasing the number of people who are at high risk is just going to result in worst consequences.

In public and global health, we want to decrease physical inactivity, tobacco and alcohol use, unhealthy diets and behaviors, but big companies and corporations who just want profit from consumers, make the job more difficult. I believe these are unethical tactics because their marketing is not designed for the benefit of the consumer, but for the benefit of the seller.

Another example of CDoH are tobacco products. In 2016, tobacco use decreased from 20.9% to 15.5% since 2005 (over the age of 18) – this is great news! Many people have stopped smoking and now, many places have banned smoking where it used to be permitted, such as school campuses. Even now, some bars and clubs have banned people from smoking inside their building. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that there are still about 38 million Americans who smoke (from 2016). 

Part of this could be from all the money spent on tobacco marketing:

  • In 2016, the five largest smokeless tobacco manufacturers spent $759.3 million on advertising and promotion. 
  • In addition, in 2018, companies spent $9.06 billion on advertising and promotion of cigarette and smokeless tobacco in the United States alone. 

Smoking has a negative health effect on individuals and can give people lung cancer and worsen other diseases. We have already seen the negative outcomes from COVID-19 patients; they are some of the vulnerable populations COVID-19 is really harming because tobacco “reduces lung capacity and increases the risk of many respiratory infections and can increase the severity of respiratory diseases.” Since COVID-19 is an infectious disease that primarily attacks the lungs, smoking can impair lung function and can make it more difficult for the body to fight off the infection.

Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) are considered social and economic conditions that influence the health of individuals. We can’t always change our SDoH since we are born with many of them, but we can change the way we react to CDoH. We can try to focus on our own healthy goals that improve our quality of life and our overall health. It may be hard to ignore ads (especially because there are ads everywhere we go and on every app and website imaginable), but if companies don’t change their marketing tactics, we should try to learn different ways to ignore their ads. Furthermore, the table below does a good job at proposing a research agenda when it comes to CDoH. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The researchers in this article suggest conducting global research that addresses the role of companies and corporations and their role in influencing consumption. We also need to focus on research on political tactics and developing strategies for addressing the harmful influence of CDoH on consumers, especially among the vulnerable population.

It’s time for us, the consumers, to stop buying into these ads, as tempting as they may be, and focus on our health and well-being!

 

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Youth Engagement in Sustainable Development Goals/ Future we want Campaign

September 15, 2020 · No Comments · SDGs

Upon reading the SDG’s/ Future We Want Campaign  a couple ideas of how the Youth can engage came to mind. Here is a brief list!

                                                                

             Goal number 1 ” By 2030, eradicate extreme poverty for all people everywhere, currently measured as people living on less than $1.25 a day”. Schools and local programs where our youth attend can set up a go-fund me for less impoverished people living under $1.25/ day.

          Goal number 2; “Zero hunger,” Youths can benefit local farmers and markets by encouraging good nutrition in their homes.

          Goal number 3; “Ensuring universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services,.” Youths can teach these to the kids of undeveloped countries (via, Youtube,)  who are their age about contraceptives.

              Goal number 4; “ About 260 million children were still out of school in 2018 —.”Youth can teach or tutor remotely with children.In my experience smartphones are the biggest commodity in Africa, so we can teach!

            Goal number 5; “End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere”  The youth may rally, protest, or hold virtual meetings which can all be implemented in local communities for all ages .

           Goal number 6; ” Support and strengthen the participation of local communities in improving water and sanitation management” Our youth can write letters to our local politicians, to increase the EPA standards of our local area.(https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2014-12/documents/gawqs.pdf).

         Goal number 7; “By 2030, double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency” Our future starts with our children,  encouraging the knowledge of many renewable resources in our elementary schools will push future generations to enter more “green wise” businesses. 

         Goal number 8; “By 2020, substantially reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education or training” A mentor/mentee program with youth can be implemented on a state level and local level in town halls or community centers.

        Goal number 9; “Enhance scientific research, upgrade the technological capabilities of industrial sectors in all countries, in particular developing countries, including, by 2030”  Youths can intern and taking applied work experiences in scientific research in foreign exchange programs in developing and developed countries.

         Goal number 10; “By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status” Youths can start enrolling in LGBT classes.

          Goal number 11; “ Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage” The youth can inform themselves by taking classes in community settings on the world’s various cultures and heritages and visiting museums.

          Goal number 12; “By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse” The youth can start programs in there school to recycle their everyday waste products they use  such as lunch bags, utensils etc, and food.

          Goal number 13; “Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning” Allow professionals from environmental protection programs to come to schools and educate youth on the seriousness of the matter and possible solutions.

         Goal number 14; “Provide access for small-scale fishers to marine resources and markets” The youth can conduct research on small scale fishers and their benefits and provide this information to governing powers.

          Goal number 15; “Take urgent action to end poaching and trafficking of protected species of flora and fauna and address both demand and supply of illegal wildlife products” Youth can create awareness on strategies that can prevent poaching and trafficking of protected species like the dying of ivory on live animals.

         Goal number 16; “By 2030, provide legal identity for all, including birth registration” The youth can recruit groups of volunteers that will travel to countries where the recordings of births of children under five are low to help recording undocumented children and better protect their rights.

         Goal number 17; “Mobilize additional financial resources for developing countries from multiple sources”  Youth can create fundraisers through go-fund me, and crowd funding in developing countries.

                                                                           

         Finally, in regards to the “Future we want Campaign“  it actually ties into my topic of how Youth can engage in Sustainable Development Goals. I think it is great idea that the mayors office is asking youths to submit videos in how they can be involved in global affairs ( i.e. explaining what the SDG’s mean to them). This will ultimately help put the youth in roles in leadership both in government and social affairs!

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Sustainable Development Goals-GSU Global Health

September 10, 2020 · 1 Comment · SDGs, Uncategorized

Sustainable Development Goals consist of 17 goals mapped out by the United Nations that aspire to create a healthier, equitable, and connected future for the world. These goals are centered around “investing in the future we want.” They consist of initiatives anywhere from ending world hunger and promoting well-being all the way to promoting world peace and standing up to fight injustices. However, although 193 countries have joined the movement to reach these goals by the year 2030, why is it that so many individuals residing in their respective countries do not know what these goals are? Why, if these goals are geared towards creating a future of unity, do so many citizens continue to carry on with their daily lives unaware of the small actions they can take to help?

Sustainable Development Goals, at a glance, look daunting and can seem absolutely unachievable to a single person. However, what most people do not realize is that these goals are not meant for a single person, single family, single company, or even a single country to accomplish all by their lonesome. These goals require a banded effort. These goals can only be achieved if the majority of our world starts to make conscious decisions on things they can do to improve the status of our planet. I think that when presented with this initiative, most people believe that they have to make a large contribution. They think that they have to donate “X” amount of money that they may not have, volunteer every second of their free time to the community, feed the hungry in their county, or house the homeless in their homes on their own. I feel like most people believe that they can only participate through large gestures that they may not be able to make and that can feel like a lot of pressure. However, in regards to SDGs, that is not the case at all. A person can contribute to the overall success of these goals by making small chances in their day to day lives such as taking a shorter shower, carpooling to work with a colleague, eating one meal a week without meat, poultry, or fish, or using a reusable water bottle instead of a plastic one. These goals will not be accomplished by one person, even if that one person is putting their best efforts forward. I believe one of the best things a person can contribute to the success of these goals would be educating themselves as well as the youth in our nation.

                                 Strategies for Teaching Culturally Diverse Students - TeacherVision

The youth in each country hold the future in their hands and odds are, they do not even know it yet. However, by planting the seeds in their minds about a sustainable future, we are already one step further towards reaching our goal. Through educating and guiding our youth, we are allowing them to gain a perspective on the world that we live in and by doing so, we are opening up the opportunity for them to become world changers. An example of a young leader would be Karan Jerath. Karan Jerath was in high school when the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill occurred near his hometown. While witnessing such a devastating accident, he educated himself on the impact that oil spill would have on the environment. As he researched, he stumbled upon many smaller similar incidents that occur far more often than we realize and it inspired him to take action. Karan was able to put his research to use and created a device that contains oil spills at their source (United Nations, 2019). Through educating himself and caring about the impacts of our human actions, he created something incredible that had the potential to save the environment in countless ways. He is living, breathing proof of what educating our youth can provide for the success of these goals. This is why I believe that the Future We Want Campaign in Atlanta is a great way to create change in our community.YoungLeaders_Gif16 - Copy

The Future We Want Campaign is an initiative pushed by the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of International Affairs with Atlanta Global Studies Center and the United Nations Association of Atlanta that is creating conversations for students K-12 about the Sustainable Development Goals. Through this campaign, students of a wide age range will begin their educational journey on something that many students my age may not have even been introduced to yet. By starting the conversation earlier in a student’s life, they have the opportunity to apply that knowledge to their studies, their families, and their community as they continue their educational journeys. As students grow and formulate their own opinions, thoughts, and ideas about Sustainable Development Goals, they can lead the conversation towards a more casual approach. If students become introduced to these goals at an earlier time in their lives, then they can potentially push our communities in the direction we have needed to head in for a long time. This is why I believe Atlanta is making great strides not only for our community, but also for our nation as we set an example for what standards we should be striving for. 

As a student in Public Health, I will be the first to admit that until about a year or so ago I was unaware of what Sustainable Development Goals were. I became aware of the initiative after going on a service trip with my undergraduate university to Canyonlands National Park in Utah. During this experience, a group of students and I had the opportunity to learn about environmentalism and sustainability efforts. From there, I started to make small changes in my daily life such as walking to campus every other day, using a reusable water bottle, making the conscious effort to recycle, and I even adapted a vegan diet. Once I started making those smaller changes and realized how easy they were, I became curious about other efforts our nation has made to promote sustainability. I began to research ways in which I can create a larger impact and through this research, I stumbled upon the 17 Sustainable Development Goals and decided to pursue my Master’s in Public Health.

 

The Sustainable Development Goals are important in more ways than one. Through the Future We Want Campaign in Atlanta, students will be able to weave these ideations into the everyday fabric in this community. If more communities adapt a campaign similar to this, the change that can occur can be life changing. It takes one drop in the water to create a ripple effect, just as it can take one conversation about Sustainable Development Goals to create an initiative that can take a community one step further towards the success we so want to see in 2030. It is imperative to understand that these goals are not for any one person to accomplish, but it is through a joint effort in which we all can take a stand to create the future we want.

Strategies for delivering on the Sustainable Development Goals: Some lessons from Rwanda

“Meet the Young Leaders for the SDGs.” United Nations, United Nations,                     www.un.org/youthenvoy/youngleadersmeettheleaders/.

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Why are the Sustainability Development Goals virtually unheard of in the United States?

September 10, 2020 · No Comments · SDGs, Uncategorized

According to the United Nations, the Sustainable Development Goals “are the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. They address the global challenges we face, including those related to poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace and justice.” In an attempt to “leave no one behind, the 17 Goals are all interconnected, and it is critically important that we achieve them all by 2030.  Also known as Global Goals, the goals were adopted by the UN, and all member states in 2015.  Centered around leaving nobody behind, the 17 goals include: no poverty, zero hunger good health & well-being, quality education, gender equality, clean water & sanitation, affordable & clean energy, decent work & economic growth, industry, innovation, & infrastructure, reduced inequities, sustainable cities & communities, responsible consumption & production, climate action, life below water, life on land, peace, justice, & strong institutions and partnerships for the goals.  

In order to achieve these goals, the Future We Want Campaign was also created and is targeted towards students K-12, with the hopes that students will become active agents of change in the global environment.  I feel like initiatives such as The Future We Want Campaign, are innovative and stand to be very effective in creating a culture of Global Sustainability among youth.  These youth are the future leaders of the world.  I also think this campaign and call to action place students at a great advantage to not only advocate for sustainable development, but also to serve as catalysts for change. 

 

While this is a refreshing and exceedingly more necessary call to action, this does bring up the question : Why are the Sustainable Development Goals not a topic of discussion in the United States?  With the United States as well as the other 192 United Nations member states, adopting the SDGs in 2015, one would think that this commitment would be highly publicized.  As a future public health leader of the World and current graduate student of public health, I found it troubling that there is not more discussion of these goals in the academic arena.  Aside from information detailing what the goals are, one is hard-pressed to find information that resembles a strategic plan to accomplish the goals as well as a system for measuring progress towards such ambitions.  Hopefully however, the Future We Want Campaign will prove successful, and definitive action plans can be created with the input of this often overlooked youth generation.

Further engaging the youth in the development goals may be a key component to achieving them by the year 2030.  Possible ways to engage youth might include incorporating the SDGs into national curriculum requirements; this would be done through coordination with the Department of Education (DOE).  Similarly, it may be possible to create Federal Programs that would provide youth with the opportunity to engage in Sustainable Development and International Affairs.  These may take the form of paid internships exclusive to students K-12.  Engaging students in this area may be of interest from a federal standpoint because many of the Sustainable Development Goals align well with the goals of Healthy People 2030.

 

While currently a Master of Public Health student situated in the City of Atlanta, I think it is important to reflect on the Sustainability Development Goals with Atlanta as the focus.  With that said, I feel that Goals 1-3 as well as Goal 11 are the most relevant to the city of Atlanta.  I say that because Goals 1 & 2 are “No Poverty and Zero Hunger” and the fact that Atlanta is home to a large underserved and homeless population. The Berean Outreach Ministry Center alone, distributes more than 20,00 pounds of food each week.  Not to mention the countless other organizations in the Metro-Atlanta area that share a similar mission.  Goal 3 is “Good Health and Well-Being”, and in my opinion health and well-being are in a mutually exclusive relationship with the presence of poverty and hunger.  With the constant expansion of the city of Atlanta, I also feel that Goal 11,  which is “Sustainable Cities and Communities “should also be of major concern and priority to top officials and decision makers in the city.

I think my role as an MPH student in engaging with the Sustainability Development Goals is firstly, to disseminate appropriate and culturally competent information regarding these goals.  This United Nations commitment is not talked about in the U.S., and in order for these goals to be met, the entire global community must be involved.  Similarly, I believe it is my role as an MPH student and future public health professional to aid in the creation and implementation of plans to meet the Sustainability Development Goals; whether it be creating a community development plan to achieve goal 10 or helping to implement water filtration devices in communities to help achieve goal 6.  It is up to the future leaders of the world to take an active position in creating the future we want.

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Goals I Never Knew Existed – Wow!

September 10, 2020 · 1 Comment · SDGs, Uncategorized

The sustainable development goals (SDGs) are 17 goals that I had no idea even existed. I knew there were general sustainability goals in different countries but I did not know there were goals set by the United Nations. The goals have been adopted by 193 countries and the goals will [hopefully] be achieved by 2030. After reading through these goals, I find this initiative very interesting and I cannot wait to see their implementation and see the goals eventually achieved. I also enjoy that on the United Nations website (see here) they give helpful ways for everyone to get involved! I know from personal experience that sometimes I feel overwhelmed and that my contributions might not be worthwhile in the grand scheme of things. For example, I have been recently composting to minimize the 35% of good quality food that goes to waste every year (see USDA Website). I take my food scraps to a local community garden to be reused as nutrients for new food, and I am still frustrated after a year of composting how much food waste I produce despite paying attention to it more than the average consumer. But composting is not easy or accessible in all communities, and not everyone is interested in keeping rotten food in a compost bin, and therefore in my opinion it is important for everyone to find their niche when it comes to supporting these sustainability goals. If everyone would start making small changes in their everyday life, big changes would start to occur on the global scale and we could be well on our way to achieving these goals by 2030.

Sustainable Development Goals

(UN, 2015)

I think it is interesting to note that before these sustainable development goals were adopted in 2015, there were another set of goals that were created in 2000 and set out to be achieved prior to 2015. These goals were called the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). There were 8 goals and 15 targets. According to Murphy in 2015, “not all of the goals were met, but humanity took historic steps to end extreme poverty and the pathologies associated with it”. The first target, related to Goal 1, aimed to halve the proportion of people whose income is less than $1 per day between 1990 and 2015. This target was achieved by 2015, and the methods used to achieve this target and others are promising examples to follow as we target the new Sustainable Development Goals.  Shown below are the Millennium Development Goals from 2000.

MDGs

(Murphy, 2015)

 

I find it disturbing that these sustainable development goals are not discussed in public health courses as often in the United States as they are in other countries in the world. My undergraduate degree is also in public health and these goals were not discussed then either. I am concerned that the United States is not contributing as much to the sustainability goals as other countries are, even though we contribute significantly to the problems these goals are addressing. I also wonder if we, as U.S. citizens, would be more passionate about these goals, if most of our citizens understood these goals and the motivations behind creating them. Our first-world country bubble of perception hinders our understanding of the serious problems much of the world faces. I believe that as public health students it is part of our duty to help educate others on these goals and show that we are trying to create a better future for our children and grandchildren. The engagement of youth and teenagers in these goals will be critical to their achievement by 2030. 

A consistent goal set by the U.N. is to end world hunger as soon as possible (#2 of the SDGs), which is a goal that I believe most of us would like to help achieve, and yet, I do not know how to help. This has always been an issue, but recently world hunger has gotten much worse. According to the chief of the UN’s World Food Programme in 2020, “At the same time while dealing with a COVID-19 pandemic, we are also on the brink of a hunger pandemic.” A total of approximately 265 million people will be pushed to the brink of starvation before the end of 2020 (UN World Food Programme, 2020).

Why are we not talking more about world hunger?

       Because we’re not hungry?

       Because we don’t know other people are hungry?

       Because we don’t care other people are hungry?

       Because we can’t help hungry people?

       Because we don’t know how to help hungry people?

These are the hard questions we must ask ourselves and others in order to try and change the horrible effect hunger has in peoples’ lives across the globe. I volunteer at a food pantry in TN with my grandfather (pictured below, second from the right) and am consistently amazed at how much change a local food pantry can do in a community/area. I would recommend everyone to volunteer at a food pantry/soup kitchen/food drive to get an idea at what food insecurity looks like especially in your community. For example, every year the National Association of Letter Carriers holds a “Stamp Out Hunger” food drive all over the country. This year they were not able to hold the actual food drive due to the coronavirus, but encourage everyone to find a local food bank and donate food. You can find your local food pantry here.

Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive

Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive

 

The Future We Want campaign is an exciting concept that is designed to help bring youth into the conversation of sustainability. It makes them want to get involved and many youth are currently leaders in the sustainability goals areas. I believe that if there were programs such as this when I was child (I am 24), the environment could be in a better place already. I grew up in east Tennessee where there are not many advocates for environmentally friendly options. East TN is famous for the beautiful (ask any TN person) Smoky Mountains, coal-powered power plants,  and Oak Ridge (where parts of the atom bomb that ended World War II were built)…Not all that environmentally friendly if you ask me, but they are getting better! When I was younger I had no concept of reducing/recycling, and now a lot of people are recycling and the coal powered plants are being closed in favor of hydroelectric sources of power (working toward SDG #7 in TN!). 

 

References:

  • Murphy, T. (2015, July 07). News in the Humanosphere: U.N. issues final report on Millennium Development Goals. Retrieved September 08, 2020, from http://www.humanosphere.org/news-rounds/2015/07/news-in-the-humanosphere-un-issues-final-report-on-millennium-development-goals/
  • United Nations News. (2015, December 30). Sustainable Development Goals to kick in with start of new year. Retrieved September 08, 2020, from https://news.un.org/en/story/2015/12/519172-sustainable-development-goals-kick-start-new-year
  • United Nations World Food Programme. (2020, April 21). WFP Chief warns of hunger pandemic as COVID-19 spreads (Statement to UN Security Council). Retrieved September 08, 2020, from https://www.wfp.org/news/wfp-chief-warns-hunger-pandemic-covid-19-spreads-statement-un-security-council

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How Do We Approach Achieving The Sustainable Development Goals?

September 10, 2020 · 1 Comment · SDGs, Uncategorized

What Are The Sustainable Development Goals:

The sustainable development goals are a set of amazing initiatives to end the world’s many issues to better the quality of life of the world’s population. They consist of 17 categories created in 2015 with an expected achievement by 2030. These issues span all varieties like access to water, gender equality, and renewable energy sources. They comprise everything needed for the peaceful living of most everybody and paint a sort of utopic image for the future of human beings. It’s wonderful that these conversations are being had and plans are being made, but I feel we have a long way to go before attaining these goals.


Initial Thoughts:

My initial impression is that of surprise of the quick timeline created to solve these long-standing issues. Looking at the current direction of many of these goals, they will not be accomplished by 2030. I believe more realistic timing of these goals could have been made. Taking the mission to end hunger for example, since the inception of the initiative, hunger has steadily gone up. This may be due to more of a focus on food distribution instead of on the agricultural aspect. Many of these 17 missions require one goal to be complete or mostly achieved before another can be achieved. The world’s population continues to grow and rather quickly, requiring more food and increases in the resources needed to work on all of these issues. That is why it is even more surprising that I and many others have never heard of these goals. These ambitious goals require all the help that we can get from all walks of life. Educating citizens on the world missions and the steps being taken to achieve them would seem to be critical in getting the support needed for its success.

Why the United States is Not as Involved?

The United States has a very individualistic point of view. There is much less sense of community here compared to other countries which can be clearly seen in the current pandemic. A community outlook would allow most citizens to understand the importance of wearing masks and social distancing and present a more caring decision-making process. Many who realize that masks are important choose to ignore these recommendations putting others at risk. When weighing the pros and cons, individual happiness or pleasure trumps the possible spread of COVID-19. This is a very dangerous way to think when collaboration is required. The culture of the United States perpetuates a fend for yourself mindset and creates selfish tendencies making cooperation difficult.

 

Why Involve Youth:
Involving the youth in this initiative and educating them on the importance and the realistic methods in going about reaching our goals can really recruit change makers that go into public health. Drastic measures must be taken to reverse these trends and create positive shifts towards the right direction. Young minds are full of imagination and creative outlooks on problems that are outside the norm. The work needed on these issues also require many different professions so introducing these goals as they decide on their profession create unique perspectives. It is also important to note that you don’t need to go into public health specifically to be part of the solution to public health issues. It is such a broad space with many positions to be filled and many directions to tackle from.

Creating a Curriculum:

Creating a Public Health elective in high schools focusing on the current public health issues of the world and working it around the sustainable development goals is a great way to introduce students to personal responsibility to the environment, respect for depleting resources, and becoming aware of the actions that are and can be taken to create positive generational change. Those that go into different careers could be mindful of these issues in their work. For example, those that go into politics can be aware of the effects of policies being put in place. Those that are in law may go the environmental route to work on conservation policies to increase resource availability.

Youth involvement also helps with gaining traction to the initiative. Today’s youth are very action oriented and can be influential in getting policies created that support their goals or at least make enough noise to cause consideration and pause. Plan international speaks on the specific ways that the youth will be affected by the sustainable development goals being achieved.

Corporation Involvement:


Though involving the youth has its benefits to bring fresh perspectives and ideas I believe these goals can be reached much faster and efficiently if corporations were brought on board. Most of the causes of the negative environmental impacts of humans come from large corporations like oil companies and Amazon. With the power they hold in both their personal company practices as well as economic pull, these companies can push environmentally friendly policies and support the efforts of various developmental goals financially. In order for big companies like this to support the initiative, they have to see economic value. Pushing these issues as individual responsibilities greatly reduces our potential impact on the world.

 


This pyramid was created to demonstrate how to improve health and how each level impacts the population but I believe the idea applies to most issues. Where the bottom is a systemic alteration that can affect a greater percent of the population while requiring less effort from the individual. We must surround the population with options that support our goals and provide the materials or tools (which could be education) to implement them instead of the convenient choices that have many negative impacts. Individuals in the U.S. live in a very convenient society where material things can be gained at a click of a button and we as a society have gotten used to this immediate satisfaction. This frame of mind and ease of life may have to be interrupted to get the results we want. The price of this convenience is our quality of air, natural resources, water and many other crucial parts of our lives. If we continue to live the way we live currently, we cannot expect different outcomes. We as a society must be comfortable becoming uncomfortable in order to instill positive permanent change to our world.

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