Public Health Advocacy: Forming and Building Coalitions

  Although individuals and organizations can advocate on their own, coalitions are particularly effective for public health advocacy. A coalition can include healthcare organizations, public and private sector agencies, for-profit companies, non-profit organizations, grassroots groups, academics, researchers, faith-based organizations, health departments, and health and social justice organizations. A coalition may have several different types of goals/missions, but overall, each aims to come together to agree on a solution to a specific problem that affects their constituents or members and overall improve aspects that affect health outcomes. For instance, the San Diego Tobacco Control Coalition mission is to improve and protect the health of San Diegans by promoting smoke/tobacco-free lifestyles and environments. This coalition will pursue support of policies that align with improving tobacco-free lifestyles, environments and lastly those that make the default choice the healthier choice. This discussion activity will focus on coalitions. Students will be asked to read and identify aspects of the advocacy process that coalitions participate in. Next, students will select a coalition from a prescribed list to research, identify, and describe in order to better understand function and structure.