What challenges do you face in these positions, and how do you overcome those challenges? Many issues Dr. Aaltonen faces has to do with how political HHS and public health can become. Many local decisions are based on local political beliefs rather than on what the issue at hand becomes. As long as there is a notation of who is for what party, there also seems to be a snag in different processes. There can be many different misconceptions as well surround public health that often make it more difficult to carry out different missions. Noting the issue with vaccinations earlier, Dr. Aaltonen sites that public misconceptions about vaccines (such as they cause illness, they can cause arm pain) lead to many preventable illness every year, which
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Aaltonen would seek to change this such as the need to access information at the local level on statistic and public health data. She believes this information is crucial for emergency planning, and waiting for the information during or after an incident is simply far too late. The public also does not take enough notice or attention into public health related issues, nor do they have access to proper education for those in need of medical services. She also cites that policy attitude needs to change, and the animosity between individuals based on their own political opinions needs to cease in order to have things working correctly. The public’s attitude toward public health is also poor, in the sense that the public doesn’t find the need for things such as funding or local education. But again, Dr. Aaltonen sites that information is crucial before a disaster happens, not later when the public needs it. Lastly, while it is not related to the field, Dr. Aaltonen says that the biggest struggle to public health is that in this modern age, many people do not know their neighbors; there is no sense of being in a neighborhood. Collectivism is important when dealing with a crisis, and it is important that individuals looks after one another during a crisis. She believes that the elderly are most at risk for this, as they often can go unnoticed and perish in a disaster, especially if their neighbors do not notice
Aaltonen would seek to change this such as the need to access information at the local level on statistic and public health data. She believes this information is crucial for emergency planning, and waiting for the information during or after an incident is simply far too late. The public also does not take enough notice or attention into public health related issues, nor do they have access to proper education for those in need of medical services. She also cites that policy attitude needs to change, and the animosity between individuals based on their own political opinions needs to cease in order to have things working correctly. The public’s attitude toward public health is also poor, in the sense that the public doesn’t find the need for things such as funding or local education. But again, Dr. Aaltonen sites that information is crucial before a disaster happens, not later when the public needs it. Lastly, while it is not related to the field, Dr. Aaltonen says that the biggest struggle to public health is that in this modern age, many people do not know their neighbors; there is no sense of being in a neighborhood. Collectivism is important when dealing with a crisis, and it is important that individuals looks after one another during a crisis. She believes that the elderly are most at risk for this, as they often can go unnoticed and perish in a disaster, especially if their neighbors do not notice