4.23: Documentary- Invisible Shield, episode 2
- Page ID
- 119699
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)In Chapter 2, we viewed the first episode of the 2024 documentary about public health, The Invisible Shield, titled "The Old Playbook." I now invite you to view the second episode, "Follow the Data" -- a good fit with this chapter's focus on the types, sources, and uses of data in public health.
You will see concepts like vital statistics, social determinants of health, surveillance systems to detect and respond to disease, and more, that you have read about already in this book. The information about epidemiology and uses of data is contextualized with historical examples-- remember John Snow and the cholera epidemic in London, from Chapter 1? -- and the early years of the covid pandemic. You will notice a specific examination of gaps in data collected about Native American populations, for example, as well as other challenges in getting accurate data about an emerging (and often confusing) health threat. The importance of public trust to public health is also emphasized, a topic that brings to mind concerns about the privacy of health data as well as the reliability of public health advice.
As you view the episode below, please consider the following questions:
- How would you explain the importance of data to public health to someone who didn't know anything about it?
- Early in the video, journalist Steven Johnson states "Collecting data and analyzing and making sense of it and disseminating it has probably saved as many lives as the vaccines and the antibiotics." How does data collection and analysis save lives?
- How do social conditions affect health? Discuss in terms of the cholera outbreaks in London in the mid-1800's and also in terms of the covid pandemic in this decade.
- Data collection -- such as vital statistics, hospital records, and testing results -- play a key role in public health. Can you discuss examples of how data collection and analysis directly shaped public health actions?
- Consider this quote from the video: "That's what makes public health so powerful, that it's not just about imploring individuals to do the right thing for their health, but putting in place structures that mean that you get to be healthy without making a personal decision." Can you give more examples of how public health puts in place structures (whether physical improvements or in terms of public policy) that improve health?
- The covid pandemic both heightened and highlighted tensions between personal responsibility (and choice) and public responsibility for health. What are some of the arguments on each side of this tension? What possibilities do you see for increasing understanding and cooperation among those who hold differing views?
- In many ways, we are living right now in the world that covid built -- how do you see the pandemic and the public health measures put into place during the pandemic influencing public policy today (at the local or national level)?
Follow the Data - episode 2 of The Invisible Shield