Cox’s Corner by State Representative Doug Cox, M.D.
Health Challenge
In Oklahoma, your legislators are considered “part time legislators” due to the fact that the Legislature is in session for only four months a year. In reality, legislators are working, albeit part time, year round. Almost all of us have jobs outside of the Legislature. As an emergency room physician, I try not to mix medicine and politics. However, I get many questions about medicine and health when I am at the Capitol. One of the most common questions is, “What can we do to make Oklahomans healthier?” That is not an easy question to answer.
Certain health issues depend on genetics, i.e. inheritance. Examples are our genetic predispositions for such things as certain types of cancer, diabetes, etc. However, it has been said that “the single greatest opportunity to improve health and reduce premature deaths lies in personal behavior. In fact, behavioral causes account for nearly 40 percent of all deaths in the United States.” Another researcher stated, “The largest potential for further improvements in population health lies in behavioral risk factors, especially smoking and obesity.”
Legislators and physicians alike wonder why people make bad decisions that affect their health adversely—to smoke, to eat too much and exercise too little, to drink alcohol to excess, to use illicit drugs and to not comply with medical treatment. Well, one reason is that bad behavior may be pleasurable in the short run, while the negative consequences of the behavior are years away. Most people have difficulty putting future goals ahead of instant gratification.
As a proud Oklahoman, I know our state can do better in our health rankings. Our neighbor to the northwest, Colorado, set an explicit goal to be ranked number one in health outcomes among all states. They may have been the first to realize that health improvement is a key to economic success of the entire state. The building of this culture of health has demonstrated positive outcomes and perceptions for Colorado. Oklahoma and Colorado had identical early death rates in 1968. Since then, Colorado’s health has improved three times more than Oklahoma. Their success was not luck. It comes from an ability to create a culture of health that has positioned the state for further economic success.
I invite you to join me in facing the task of making Oklahoma a healthier state. Let us begin by accepting the simple challenge of the Oklahoma State Health Department to “Move more, eat less, and be tobacco free.”
Instead of having a few beers and some chips and dip while watching the game on TV, let us eat some nuts, drink a glass of water and take a brisk walk. Oh wait, lets watch the game first, and then go for a walk!
Thank you for allowing me to serve as your state Representative. I can be reached at dougcox@okhouse.gov or 405-557-7415.
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