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Voting is a health right

Featured photo: Dr. Aisha Harris

Written by Dr. Aisha Harris

When is the last time you have been to the doctor? Are you registered to vote? These two questions may seem different, but they are rooted in the idea that we should be taking care of ourselves and our community.

We should ask people if they have a doctor and are getting the recommended preventative screenings. We should ask people if they are registered to vote and participating in the voting process because civic engagement is important.

Voting is considered a social determinant of health because voting impacts all aspects of our lives, whether we like to admit it or not. Voting locally, state-wide and nationally plays a role in how we function in society, how our communities are built and maintained, how our children are educated, how our work conditions are regulated, and even how our food is processed. It all comes down to the governmental figures and policies we put in place because of the power of our “voting voice.”

But what people do not realize is that voting is a health right.

Yes, there is a lot of talk about reproductive rights and women rights,  but policies that impact our health reach beyond what we see on television.

2024 is a “big” election year,”  but we should be looking at all elections as important whether they are local, state-wide or national. Our involvement in elections, the voting system and policies shapes how we move and live in society.

It also reaches into the experiences and the foundation of the generations that come after us.

Voting is a health right because social determinants of health, the indirect things that impact our health, like education, transportation, employment, food, housing, and more all play a more important role in our health than people are led to believe.

Only 20% of your health is influenced by you seeing your doctor and utilizing the health system. The rest, the other 80%, is based on where you live, who you know, and who you are. And that is influenced by the policies, laws, regulations, resources and opportunities that exist in your community, state and even country.

So do you have a doctor? Do you vote? Both of these questions are important for our own longevity and stability. Your physical and mental health are just as important as your civic health because they all exist together. Whether you are proactive or not, your health is influenced by multiple factors and components. You have to decide if you are going to be involved or stand by because you get more out of your health when you advocate for yourself, your family and your community.

Check your voting registration status at Michigan.gov/Vote. Be involved in your civic health.

Dr. Aisha Harris, MD is a Flint native and board-certified family medicine doctor at Harris Family Health in Flint, Michigan. Harris Family Health is a membership-based clinic that provides personalized and full primary care to adults and children.  Learn more about Harris Family Health by visiting www.harrisfamilyhealth.com.

Feel free to submit health questions to Dr. Harris via theflintcouriernews@gmail.com.

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