Belonging In The South: A Guide For Misfits
Caring For Our Fellow Citizens In An Era Of Polariziation With Dr. Thomas Dobbs
Apr 17, 2023
Episode 6
Thomas Dobbs, MD
In this episode of "Belonging in the South", host Rebecca Lauderdale speaks with former Mississippi State Health Officer and infectious disease specialist, Dr. Thomas Dobbs. They discuss how Southerners can improve public health, the effects of belonging and loneliness on health, and the criminal justice system.
And yes, he's that Dobbs - from the supreme court case that overturned Roe v. Wade in 2021 - who through a quirk of the law found his name on a case he neither wanted nor was involved with.
“There’s so many impediments to progress that our system, our society, has created and it just makes it hard for people to thrive.”
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of public healthcare systems, but still, many communities in the South are experiencing the effects of disinvestment in public health.
Dr. Dobbs has seen these consequences firsthand in his work with marginalized groups, which has led him to ask many questions: Are we losing our southern hospitality? How do we get our compassion back and help our fellow Southerners?
Tune in to join the conversation on these topics and see how you can help make a change!
Topics discussed in this episode:
- Dr. Thomas Dobbs’s journey to state health officer
- His experience working with disadvantaged or marginalized patients
- The need for government involvement in public health
- Public health issues seen in his role as state epidemiologist
- Dealing with politicians and the pressures of the COVID-19 pandemic
- The effects of Mississippi’s disinvestment in public health
- How physicians and the average citizen push change
Read the article referenced in this episode, “Getting Government To Work For Public Health” by Thomas Dobbs, MD: https://www.healthaffairs.org/content/forefront/getting-government-work-public-health
See more from Belonging In The South: A Guide For Misfits:
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