Article suggests clinicians should encourage patients to vote

An article published in the Journal of Hospital Medicine notes that voter engagement is linked to health and well-being and that clinicians can help to empower patients and their families by encouraging them to register to vote. 

The authors describe how to introduce the topic of voting during clinical encounters, and they offer several strategies to help patients and families engage civically.  

"There is growing evidence connecting voting to health, and voting can impact policies that shape the social determinants of health," said lead author Margaret N. Jones, MD, of Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. "By encouraging all patients to vote, and by voting themselves, healthcare providers can help build an inclusive democracy and promote health equity."