6 Ways to Better Promote Public Health

Is staying healthy on your to-do list?

We spend a lot of time designing our lives. Choosing the right career path and friends, are all a part of our happiness equation. However, it’s difficult to lead a fulfilling life, if you’re not healthy.

Learning how to promote public health is one of the most important things you can do in life. Whether it’s through preventing illness or educating others -there are many ways that you can make a difference in your community. Sometimes, simply leading by example is enough to make a change.

Check out this list of the top 6 ways to better promote health!

1. Get Vaccinated

The first way to promote public health is to get vaccinated! It may seem like common sense, but many people don’t realize that getting a shot is one of the best ways to stay healthy.

You should get immunized against tetanus, diphtheria, and whooping cough -all 3 of which are airborne diseases that can cause serious or even deadly respiratory damage. Whooping cough is especially dangerous to newborn babies.

Of course, you should also consider getting the COVID vaccine too! It’s easy to find a walk-in clinic, and the vaccination process only takes a few minutes.

2. Wash Your Hands Often

Next, washing your hands is another easy way to be healthy. When others see you taking action to keep your hands clean, they’ll think twice about their cleanliness. We touch a lot of things throughout the day. Door knobs, light switches, grocery cart handles, and more.

These surfaces are prime areas for germs to linger. Once on our hands, the germs can easily find their way into our bodies. After all, people tend to touch their faces a lot.

Even if you’re not a big face toucher, you probably still use your phone, right? Your phone is already a germ magnet, and it’s even worse when you don’t clean your hands regularly.

If you can’t wash your hands right away, be sure to have a bottle of hand sanitizer available. When you’re buying hand sanitizer, make sure it has at least 60% alcohol. That’s important because it will help break up the germs a lot quicker.

Next, if you’re washing your hands regularly, make sure to dry them properly too! After all, wet hands are more prone to germ transmission than dry ones

3. Don’t Smoke

Moving on, smoking is a big threat to public health and safety, for several reasons. The American Lung Association warns against smoking, saying that it can cause cancer, lung disease, infertility in women, and heart disease. If you don’t currently smoke, then the best thing is to never start!

Bear in mind, second-hand smoke is just as dangerous as regular cigarette smoke. Smokers constantly jeopardize the health and safety of others when they smoke in public.

If you are a smoker already, there’s hope! Nowadays, there are smoking cessation programs available all over the country.

Talk to your doctor or local health department about the best options for you! For example, there are smokeless cigarettes and nicotine gum that can help cut back on your dependency.

4. Pursue a Health Centric Career

Moving on, another way to promote public health is by becoming a doctor. Doctors are incredibly important for public health because they help prevent, diagnose, and treat diseases. You need to invest time in school, but it’s worth it!

After 4-6 years of studying hard, you’ll get the degree that will qualify you to get into medical school. If becoming a doctor doesn’t align with your career goals, there are plenty of other openings in the health field.

For instance, you might want to pursue a nursing degree. Getting your RN is a great way to work in the medical industry.

Even nursing assistants, physical therapists, and occupational therapists are on the front lines of promoting public health! All of these positions are critical when it comes to providing care for people in their homes or even institutions like hospitals.

If you’re interested in pursuing a career in medicine or nursing, check out your local university or community college for more information. You might even be able to find financial aid opportunities.

5. Create Community Health Groups

Next up, healthy adults and healthy children come from healthy communities. That’s why getting involved with community organizations is another excellent way to promote public health!

So many people are getting involved in causes these days. From Mothers Against Drunk Driving to the March of Dimes, there are so many opportunities to get involved.

If you live in a larger city, there are probably more options available to you than if you live in a small town. Try talking to your local government or community leaders for suggestions on how you can make a difference. Be creative as you dream up the different healthcare community events that would benefit the public.

You might even be able to find a cause that aligns with your career goals. For example, if you want to become an oncology nurse, you might want to work with the American Cancer Association to make sure everyone is getting access to cancer screenings.

If there aren’t any community organizations that interest you, consider starting one of your own! You can call a meeting and get to work.

For example, if you’re passionate about cancer research or prenatal care, think of ways you can raise money to fund those causes! Community organizations are all about bringing people together. Why not start one yourself?

6. Create a Healthy Work Environment

Next, another way to promote public health is by creating a healthy work environment. You might not think about your office as being a place where you can advance the cause of public health, but it is!

For starters, bring in healthy snacks for the whole office. For example, you might get some reusable containers and fill them up with almonds or celery sticks. Everyone will have access to these snacks, so there’s no need to worry about bringing treats for just one person.

Another benefit of this is that the employees will be able to maintain a healthy weight. In addition, you might want to talk with your boss about getting some standing desks or treadmill desks for the office. Standing and walking are excellent ways to burn calories and promote overall health.

Promote Public Health Today

The article has given you a few of the best ways to promote public health, but it’s up to you to take the initiative! Get involved with community organizations or pursue one of the career paths mentioned above.

You can help make the world healthier, and happier for everyone, especially yourself. Pick 1 thing from this article you can work towards, and take the first step towards wellbeing today! For more guides, read another article.