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Transcript of Talking Public Health: Language Developing America’s Second Language Lawrence Wallack, Dean,...
Talking Public Health: Developing America’s Second Language
Lawrence Wallack, Dean, College of Urban & Public Affairs
Portland State University
1st Annual University of New Mexico National Health Disparities Conference
Albuquerque, NMMay 23, 2011
Thanks to CCPHA for this cartoon
Childhood Obesity Arguments
Personal, Individual, Behavioral
Social, Environmental, Political
Poor Parenting Massively promoted cheap, convenient, junk food
Bad Habits & Personal Choices Neighborhood connectivity & safety (e.g. recreation, transportation)
Overactive Thumbs, Underactive Legs Institutional policies (e.g. school lunches, phys ed classes)
Victims of Excess Local, state & federal policy issues (farm, tax, advertising, zoning)
Basic Question For Public Health
Will improved population health status come about primarily as a result of:
individuals getting more knowledge about personal health behaviors?
or
groups getting more power to change social and economic conditions?
Some things to consider
We are all reasonable people, aren’t we?
It seemed like a great story, didn’t it?
It’s about getting the right message, isn’t it?
YOYOs
WITTs
Jared BernsteinAll Together Now:
Common Sense for a Fair Economy
Frame basics
Frames are mental structures that help people understand the world. Frames are shortcuts for people that connect abstract ideas to familiar things (and do so very, very quickly).
BHPJ J G I IFAI TI I
BHPJ J G I IFAI TI I
“We've been talking about on how much we agree on different issues, but there really is a difference between us, and it's basically this: We don't think the government should be in control of all of this. We want people to be in control. And that, at the end of the day, is the big difference.”
-- Rep. PAUL RYAN (R, WI)February 25, 2010
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/remarks-president-discussion-deficit-bipartisan-meeting-health-care-reform
HEALTH CARE REFORM, as a cue, what does it mean…?
To supporters To opponents To others1. 1. 1.2. 2. 2.3. 3. 3.4. 4. 4.
John Boehner on Health Care Reform(House Minority Leader on PBS NewsHour 11/5/09)
“This bill is the greatest threat to freedom that I have seen in the 19 years I have been here in Washington….It’s going to lead to a government takeover of our health care system, with tens of thousands of new bureaucrats right down the street, making these decisions [choose your doctor, buy your own health insurance] for you.”
No Blank slate
QPFSLTV
QPFSLTV
OBESITY, as a cue, what does it mean…?
To supporters To opponents To others1. 1. 1.2. 2. 2.3. 3. 3.4. 4. 4.5. 5. 5.
Lakoff’s three levels of analysis
Level 1: Big ideas and universal values like fairness, equality, justice, family, community
Level 2: Issue types such as housing, education, civil rights, the environment, public health
Level 3: Specific issues such as beer taxes, toxic waste sites, health care coverage
Adapted from The Frameworks Institutehttp://www.frameworksinstitute.org
It’s the values
“…economic policies are about values. If your policies undermine personal responsibility by separating the link between effort and reward, voters will punish you for it.”
David Brooks, “Faustus Makes a Deal,” New York Times, June 22, 2010.
Framing TensionSocial Justice Dominant (Market) Values
Shared responsibility Self-determination/Self discipline/Rugged individualism
Interconnectedness Benefits based solely on effort
Strong obligation to collective good Limited obligation to collective good
Basic benefits should be assured Voluntary and moral nature of behavior
Government involvement necessary Limited government intervention
Adapted from Beauchamp, 1976
Reframing Questions
• What stories are we telling?
• What cues are we giving?
• What values are we activating?
• What actions are we advocating?
Conclusion
• Understand the starting point of the discussion is not a blank slate
• Be clear about the social justice values and how to integrate these values into the story
• Move from values to policy/ program; don’t start at policy/program assuming values
• Think in terms of larger social narratives that guide public policy making