Runaway Polarization Is Making Us Sick. Social Science Could Offer an Antidote.

Abstract

Public health in the United States has become deeply polarized. Runaway political polarization is increasingly influencing both American's health attitudes (e.g. supporting health policies and candidates that are hostile to public health) and behaviors (e.g., whether people take action to protect themselves and others from infectious diseases). In this manuscript, we detail the growing partisan polarization of public health over time, examining partisan polarization and its policy consequences. We then propose a three-pronged path for better understanding and overcoming polarization in health and medicine. First, we call for additional social-scientific research on public health polarization. We highlight the need for health data that includes measures of partisanship as well as the need for appropriate sources of funding to study public health polarization. Second, we point to the need for better health communication interventions to confront polarization that are both scalable in real-world settings and likely to be supported by community partners concerned about appearing 'political' in their efforts at health messaging. Finally, we discuss the vital role of clinicians in addressing polarization's impact on health, suggesting strategies for patient engagement and the need for research on the bioethical implications of discussing partisan issues during clinical encounters.