Public Health Argument Analysis

At the turn of the 20th century, life expectancy for men and women averaged close to fifty years. By the end of the 20th century, life expectancy averages grew by more than fifty percent. Public health achievements over the last century have greatly contributed to the rise in longevity. From the development and implementation of vaccines to the research and improvements of motor vehicle safety, people are living longer, healthier lives. As a result of these achievements, a person may think that everyone is living longer; however, according to author Monica Potts, that is not the case for uneducated white women (Potts 591). According to Potts, no one understands why this particular group is dying five years sooner than any other group (Potts

Crystal reaches adulthood while still a teenager, accepting a life as a housewife and mother for the rest of her life (Potts 598). In her essay, Potts references a paper co-authored by Jennifer Karas Montez of the Harvard University Center for Population and Development Studies. The findings of Montez’s paper showed that merely having a job had a bearing on the life span of an individual (Potts 599). Considering Crystal’s lack of even a high school diploma, she would be “least likely to work” (Potts 599). With employment, women like Crystal, not only fuel their ambitions, but are exposed to a social community not composed of family. Co-workers, unlike family, are composed of individuals from varying socio-economic backgrounds. As cliché as the saying, “Variety is the spice of life!” is, it could not ring more true. With that variety comes the differing viewpoints on eating healthy and exercising, and the encouragement to do just that. Personal experiences in a work environment attest this thought. Had Crystal been surrounded by relatable women at work, unlike at home where her only reach to the outside world was with family during her daily phone calls, she could have witnessed firsthand how other women deal with life’s everyday struggles. These women, like Crystal, would not only have experience with the daily burdens of life, but also the insight on how to manage the stress related to those burdens. By