Bethany Morley; Community Public Health Trends

I had the opportunity to talk to Eric Edwards, MPA, MCHES, who is the Director of Health Promotion at the Utah County Health Department and he emailed me a paper he had written that addressed the question I had about the top health trends in our community. Instead of five, he listed and described eleven, which was great because it allowed me to choose those that are most relevant to me and where I live. The following trends are those that I found most relevant to Brigham Young University.

The first is the DIY health movement. With technology these days, most people have a phone equivalent to a computer with them at all times. With this comes a plethora of health apps designed to allow people to do things that only doctors used to be able to do, like track heart rate and take scans of dark moles. This can have benefits, but it can also be dangerous since the accuracy of these apps are not up to par with a doctor’s machinery and knowledge. However, any apps that encourage a healthy lifestyle are great for the community.

The second trend I learned about immunizations. In a university setting, sickness can spread like wildfire. The flu is a case in point, but there are many people that choose not to get immunized for several reasons. Some do not want to spend the money, others are afraid of the needle, and still others do not believe in the effectiveness of immunizations. The last reason is why health promotion workers emphasize getting immunized, to convince people that it does greatly reduce their risk of contracting the sickness.

Third, obesity is a major issue everywhere in America. Brigham Young University is no different, despite the healthy options and opportunities for exercise. In fact, it has caused an increase of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes. It is an issue for all ages, even type 2 diabetes which is now affecting children as well as adults. Health departments are trying to promote healthy eating habits and regular exercise to offset this trend.

The fourth trend is the melding of social media and health behaviors. People now use social media sites to help them in their health endeavors. Posting statuses about goals helps keep people accountable and employs the advice and encouragement of others. Forums are especially popular since anyone can post and reply to questions. Mr. Edwards used the term “electronic contracts” to describe the accountability that comes from publishing goals on social sites.

Lastly, injuries made the list for health trends. This is often overlooked as a public health issue, but according to Mr. Edwards, injuries are the “leading cause of morbidity and mortality for people ages 1-45.” At BYU, there are many measures in place to enforce safety, like using crosswalks and buckling seat belts. In addition, bicycle helmet use is strongly encouraged by health promotion workers. Many injuries could be prevented by following simple safety procedures.