| Political Action and Advocacy: Representatives
As members of the public and professionals, and especially those of us that are healthcare providers, we are in a unique position to bring about change at the state level. This kind of change can greatly effect our practice, the care we give our patients, and the health of our community.
Find out who your state representatves are. Go to the General Assembly website (http://www.legis.state.pa.us) and use the search box on that page.
Here are some tips for visiting representatives:
(1) If visiting after the election congratulate the member of Congress on their re-election.
(2) State the purpose of your meeting – to discuss sleep issues.
(3) Tell the member of Congress where you work, the number of people in your lab, and state that the jobs are supported through grants (if research) or health care reimbursements (if clinical). You could ask them to visit if you feel comfortable doing so and if it is permitted by your institution.
(4) Explain the public health and safety issues related to sleep loss due to sleep disorders or sleep deprivation on learning, driving safety, and productivity, as well as the impact sleep apnea has on cardiovascular health (i.e. WI Sleep Cohort). Also, you can talk about the well-ocumented relationship of sleep and obesity.
(5) If you feel comfortable, ask the member of Congress if they know anyone with a sleep disorder, or whether they are often sleep deprived because of their work in Congress.
(6) In discussing research, let them know that you realize upcoming budgets will be difficult; however, research is an economic engine. For example, each NIH grant creates 7 new jobs on average (although state governments do not have control over NIH, they do have control over state-wide initiatives). Also, discoveries made through research can lead to new technology/ medicine/ treatment that translates into new jobs. Finally, research leads to new treatments for diseases -- especially chronic disease, which can increase the quality of life and productivity of the workforce.
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