Social Cures

The cause of illness and preventing illness is often not a medical issue but the illness comes to reside in the medical arena. Primary prevention, as well as adequate treatment, of illness and disease is a social issue and calls for "social cures". It is encouraging to see projects such as Health Leads that address social cures by recruiting and training student volunteers to provide patients with connections to resources deemed necessary by doctors and other health care providers. In addition, many cities throughout the U.S. are mobilizing local organizations, corporations and institutions for health promotion, primary prevention and public health. With dedication and persistence the nation can reduce the need for medical care rather than arbitrarily reducing funds for Medicaid and Medicare. That is a positive approach with improved health status which cannot be achieved by pouring funds into medical care.