How to Get Involved

Unnatural Causes: Is Inequality Making Us Sick? crisscrosses the country investigating the notion that there is more to our health than bad habits, health care or unlucky genes—that the social conditions in which we are born, live and work profoundly affect our well-being and our longevity. Conceived as part of an ambitious public impact campaign, the series is designed to help stimulate a broad national debate on what we can – and should – do to address our nation’s health inequities.

A Dozen - Plus Ways to Take Action

The Virginia Department of Health, Office of Minority Health and Public Health Policy is partnering with California Newsreel and the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) to promote  UNNATURAL CAUSES: Is Inequality Making Us Sick? a pioneering PBS documentary series with an ambitious outreach and public impact campaign to help reframe the nation's debate over health and what we as a society can—and should—do to reduce our devastating socio-economic and racial health disparities.

Here are suggestions on how your organization can get involved with this initiative:

• Incorporate the documentary and the focus on health equity and social justice into health district MAPP process.
• Identify who is working to address health inequities within your health district /organization and region.
• Identify partners and major stakeholders interested in learning more about the social determinants of health
• Organize a Brown Bag screening to explore how partners and major stakeholders can use the series to support its mission.
• Identify existing assets, programs, or initiatives that provide avenues for action
• Post information about the series and what your organization is doing to address health disparities on your Web site and promote this to your partners and community stakeholders
• Send information about the social determinants of health to partners and community stakeholders
• Define a local angle for media: identify three health disparities you are focusing on and what you're doing about them
• Work with your local PBS station to organize an event tied to the national broadcast
• Identify other organizations and agencies doing work that promotes health equity
• Organize a screening event to educate, mobilize and advocate for initiatives that promote health equity.
• Plan and/or conduct meetings in different venues.
• Promote series among local health department
• Set up a “loaner process” to allow community based organizations, faith based organizations, etc, to view the series and return.

Additional Resources

Unnatural Causes Website

California News Reel

National Connection for Local Public Health (NACCHO)

Virginia State Office of Minority Health

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