Some first thoughts on restoring trust in the work of public health.
One of the reoccurring themes of these essays is the crisis of trust we face in working for health. The decline we have seen in recent years in the public’s trust in us poses a challenge to our capacity to create a healthier world. This suggests that it is on us to think self-critically about why this decline in trust, to reflect on how we conduct ourselves, on how our self-presentation may make the public more or less likely to embrace our efforts. Do we speak and act with humility or do we morally grandstand? Do we listen to others, including those with points of view with which we disagree, or do we just like to hear ourselves talk? Do we project optimism and a healthy self-confidence, or do we tip into the self-satisfaction that can put people off?
Each of these questions should give us cause for reflection, their answers of deep relevance to what we do. Lately I have been asked quite a bit: how do we rebuild trust in public health? I am not sure I have an answer, but I thought I would engage these ideas with a few essays on topics that relate to trust.
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