"Mississippians should Take Responsibility for their Health" State Reps Say

I listened to a fantastic radio program on MPB Think Radio, "Southern Remedy", a weekly show that anyone caring about their Health and their Care should tune in to religiously, because, as several Representatives pointed out, every Mississippian should take responsibility for their health.  And this program is an excellent first start.  I listen to it every week.  Check it out.

http://mpbonline.org/southernremedy/

DOCTORS ASK REPRESENTATIVES HOW THEY CAN IMPROVE MISSISSIPPI'S HEALTH

That's the kicker title.  No, the Representatives were not asking the Doctors how they can help improve Mississippi's Health.  If that were happening I suppose we'd actually see some real improvements. 

This week, instead of answering call-ins, the hosts (Dr. Rick.. M.D. and Dr. Allyn.. M.D.) were at our State capital interviewing several Representatives, two Republicans and one Democrat.    Mentioning names is not my forte, sorry, and so I'm going to merge their ideas into a single consensus.  Our state House of Representatives is after all a single united body.  

The Doctors and Representatives did a fantastic job addressing their medical points, and their points of view, respectfully and with great clarity.  The program should be regionally syndicated. 

I'm going to address this from the point of view of a non expert in both medicine and politics.  One statistic messaged to us placed Mississippi at, you may have guessed, the very Bottom.   

The Doctors questions to the several Representatives were themed, "Why are Mississippians in generally poorer health than the populace of many other states?"  "What can we do to make Mississippi healthier?" "What's can you [The Representatives] do to help our State get healthier?"

Personal Responsibility was the consensus of the interviewed Representatives as the leading factor to poor health for many Mississippians.   One Representative, I believe he was a Republican, orated forcefully that folks need to start taking personal responsibility for their health and not depend on the government.  Parents need to "Take Responsibility" for their children's health, "It's not the role of government to tell families what to do."  

[disclaimer - humorously speaking] Just a reminder, it can be illegal to take too much responsibility.   Only those Licensed to provide Medical Services can legally do so, else one could be breaking a law. It's illegal for such individuals to practice medicine without the proper license.     As such, Mississippians without a medical policy should not go to a wise neighbor, or friend they deeply trust, to seek out an antibiotic prescription for a bad cold, or if they saw a commercial, for the latest drug that will bring them health and vitality (but possibly with side-effects or cardiac arrest ..but only in rare cases).  [end disclaimer]

I get the picture of Responsibility.  And it is Vitally Important.  Families need to make sure they stay fit, eat right, don't smoke and Don't Text and Drive.  Though not an illness, doctors still see the consequences as do our Statistics of early mortality.  

We need to provide the messaging to our families on how to prevent the health crisis that are so prevalent in our State, after all we can hardly expect the next IPad or IPhone commercial to advise us not to feast on too many cupcakes, chips, soda-pop, deep-fried whatever and tobacco.   The Republican message is
"Parents need to take charge-  Take Responsibility Mississippi!"  

It's the number one factor making Mississippians less healthy than their fellow Americans, according to the experts (The Representatives interviewed).  It's the reason we've got so much high-blood pressure, diabetes and early onset mortality, which includes all of the above and more.  And I suppose its the reason why Mississippians are less healthy than in even many other nations, with even less wealth.

"But it's not the role of government".   One of the Republicans mentioned this and said that it's not that government shouldn't be telling folks not to smoke.  But parents should.  I like the "all of the above" approach.  Ideas and knowledge usually have a starting point or "breaking out moment".  The message has to originate from somewhere, broadcast to the public somehow.  Each generation is born in Original Knowledge that "smoking is bad for you".  If you're parents told you that its bad, someone told you're parents first, and someone told them.  Eventually you'd trace the source back to the government.

If you didn't, Obviously you should have listened to the program.  It was a GREAT SHOW.. with GREAT QUESTIONS..

And, I have some more questions..

Realistically, we can't expect government to message the public with beneficial facts, that is if those facts indicate you shouldn't purchase a product (cigarettes for instance), and those products have PACs and Lobbyists and fund drives all working in concert to get officials in government positions. 

The Republicans pointed the finger of Responsibility to the sick populace implying that lack of responsibility was the primary reason illness is more prevalent here in Mississippi than elsewhere.   That was the way it sounded. 

Me, a non expert, is left wondering, "Why can't folks be responsible like they are elsewhere?"  There's not quite as much illness due to lack of responsibility in __. But I thought those folks were generally less responsible.

Mississippi has unhealthier citizens than many other states.  Do those state's have more personally responsible citizens? 

How can you as a State Representative create an environment where the citizens have a greater responsibility in such matters as their health?   

Why, in other states, are folks making better personal choices than in Mississippi, and did their state governments have a role?   If its the role of Government to message its citizens to take responsibility for themselves regarding health then shouldn't they also provide the established facts that promote health, for instance "smoking is bad, please don't smoke".

What is YOUR role as a State Representative beyond promoting commerce for business?   

If the government doesn't have the role to tout messages such as "smoking is bad for you, don't smoke" then who has that role?  Can we expect Apple or Frito-Lay for instance to send health messages in an IPhone or snack food ad?  Why would they?  Who will?

If Parents are supposed to send children this message, then how are they informed that smoking is bad  ..from their parents perhaps (where did they hear that smoking is bad for them?)  ...I doubt from a product ad.   Church perhaps?  Where did the church hear that smoking is bad for folks?     There isn't even a need to wonder if Marlboro would advertise this message.. Unless government gets involved with messaging the facts.  

There is a danger that public knowledge will exist solely in a commercial vacuum leading to solutions that don't generate profits being forgotten about.  Many believe that the fall of the Roman Empire transpired after a period devolution, and the dumbing down of society.  After the Roman Empire collapsed and the dark ages reigned for centuries civilization demonstrated that progress does not always evolve.  Sometimes it devolves.       

I can't understand how we can have a healthy Mississippi if the only messaging folks receive is from commercial messaging and government simply keeps quit.  The knowledge has to be dispersed somehow, else its forgotten. 

So what's the answer?

It appears the Representative's were right all along.  "Take Responsibility!" is key.  Demand that messaging gets broadcast when it's vital to our public knowledge.  Take Responsibility for Government, because health is at stake.   We shouldn't just keep quite we know the facts.  Government shouldn't keep quite either.   It doesn't when tornadoes and hurricanes are on the way and shouldn't for health issues. 

Mark  www.openmw.20megsfree.com