Good evening friends, I would like to begin by thanking you all for this prestigious honor. I could not be more proud to be an alumni of such an esteemed university, and it feels so good to be home. I am happy I chose a career that I am passionate about and wanted to make a difference in. When I was told that I had been chosen to receive this award, it made me reminisce all of the advances we were able to make in the public health field. Twenty years ago the field of public health looked much different than today. Through it all, I have faced my fair share of obstacles and I have witnessed failure. However, through hard work and determination, I am proud of the contributions that I have made to this field.
Today the field of public health …show more content…
Twenty years ago, when I was still in graduate school, tobacco was public enemy number, being the lead cause of death in Americans (Mokdad, 2004). Public health was severely underfunded and preventative care was overlooked for tertiary care. Today tobacco use is at an all-time low, and we are seeing fewer and fewer cases of chronic diseases, brought on by tobacco! I am so proud to have been a leader in the “Snuff out Tobacco” policy that helped bring about this change. Government has also completely changed its views on the importance of preventative care. In 2015 Americans were forced to go to work sick because they did not have enough sick time. Today, that sounds crazy to us. When you’re sick you stay home, it is uncivilized and just plain rude to be around the healthy when you are under the weather. Businesses can no longer regulate how many days you are “allowed to be sick per year.” In 2015 social and behavioral issues such as gun violence were becoming a normal tragedy in the United States. A focus on preventative care in our health care system has reduced these incidents by 70 percent. (Abbott, Hurst & Null, 2024). Another major problem Americans were facing in
Today the field of public health …show more content…
Twenty years ago, when I was still in graduate school, tobacco was public enemy number, being the lead cause of death in Americans (Mokdad, 2004). Public health was severely underfunded and preventative care was overlooked for tertiary care. Today tobacco use is at an all-time low, and we are seeing fewer and fewer cases of chronic diseases, brought on by tobacco! I am so proud to have been a leader in the “Snuff out Tobacco” policy that helped bring about this change. Government has also completely changed its views on the importance of preventative care. In 2015 Americans were forced to go to work sick because they did not have enough sick time. Today, that sounds crazy to us. When you’re sick you stay home, it is uncivilized and just plain rude to be around the healthy when you are under the weather. Businesses can no longer regulate how many days you are “allowed to be sick per year.” In 2015 social and behavioral issues such as gun violence were becoming a normal tragedy in the United States. A focus on preventative care in our health care system has reduced these incidents by 70 percent. (Abbott, Hurst & Null, 2024). Another major problem Americans were facing in