Communications Health Risks- Letter to the Editor and a Discussion on the Tips for Writing a Letter to the Editor

Communications Health Risks- Letter to the Editor and a Discussion on the Tips for Writing a Letter to the Editor

[Put Your Address Here]

7^th May 2020

Med Wingerter

Medical & Health Reporter

The Oklahoman

100 W. Main, Suite 100-73102, Oklahoma City

Re: Oklahoma City’s Alarming Misuse/Abuse of Prescription Drugs

Dear Mrs. Wingerter

The rising number of Oklahomans using and abusing prescription drugs, especially opioids, is undoubtedly threatening to overburden and overpower the state’s healthcare system, including its already strained budget. In fact, the newly updated and revised report by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (April 2020) shows that about 43% (308) of all drug overdose-related deaths in Oklahoma occur due to opioid misuse. What is even more worrying is the fact that the primary source of these opioids is prescriptions by healthcare providers (79.1%), which is alarmingly higher than the country’s average (51.4%).

Reports further indicate that synthetic opioids or heroin are the leading causes of opioid-related deaths in comparison to methadone (including fentanyl analogs). For the state, this problem presents a major hurdle in tackling the loss of skilled manpower and the region’s economic agenda. For our healthcare system, treating more drug addicts and enrolling them in rehabilitation programs are some of the far-reaching impacts of the issue. The immense loss to family members, especially the children left behind by the deceased, is even difficult to consider.

With a circulation of 92,073, there is no question that your newspaper can get things on track. I think it is high time we address the issue of prescription drugs/abuse once and for all by engaging our policymakers, healthcare providers, and other social workers. I am contacting your firm because it is the most powerful resource in the region and holds the key to educating our society. In case you wish we link up or I share with you other findings, you can contact me through the email or phone number I have provided above.

Sincerely

[Your Name]

Tips for Writing a Letter to the Editor

Advocacy and education in healthcare, especially for nurses, is very important in getting new policies implemented or communicating/passing to the public information about a potential health risk (Melanson, Geckle, & Davidson, 2016; NCHEC, 2017). Whereas this can be done by directly writing to the relevant lawmakers, it can also be achieved by writing brief letters and Op-Eds to newspaper editors, which are written to respond to a previous article or to give personal opinions or views, respectively (CDC, 2012). According to the Oklahoma Rehabilitation Council (2016), letters and Op-Eds are effective advocacy tools because most policymakers read these sources constantly, and they are a cheaper (free) means of addressing the public and reaching out to the masses. Several other aspects must be considered by writers for their letters and Op-Eds to be effective.

Firstly, writers must plan properly by identifying the right newspapers, especially the ones that are popular and have a huge circulation, to increase the chances of the message getting to the targeted legislators, policymakers, or population. Advocates must read the selected papers to identify the types of writing styles and issues that are often used and published. Afterward, it is necessary to contact the target newspapers and make inquiries about their policies, including timing, how to submit, length limitations, and other regulations.

After identifying the right newspapers and their policies, the next step is to start the actual writing process. According to the Oklahoma Rehabilitation Council (2016), writers must be as brief, clear, and direct as possible. Writers must also concentrate on real-life issues, be able to select words carefully, use humor (if appropriate), make clear their stake in the problem upfront, and give courses of action for readers. In the last part, especially for the newspaper staff, writers should indicate their contact information, including phone number, address, name, email, organizational affiliation, and so on. However, probably a few days or weeks before submitting to the publisher or newspaper, writers must double-check their facts and ask a third party to read through so as to confirm the grammar and facts. The last step is sending the letter or the Op-Eds (based on how they requested). It is also recommended that they check if they received it by making a follow-up call a few days later or making corrections if requested.

References

CDC. (2011). Gateway to health communication & social marketing: Risk communication. Retrieved on May 7, 2020, from http://www.cdc.gov/healthcommunication/risks/index.html

Melanson, M. A., Geckle, L. S., & Davidson, B. A. (2012). Risky business: Challenges and successes in military radiation risk communication. U. S. Army Medical Department Journal, 82-87.

National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2020). Oklahoma: Opioid-involved deaths and related harms. Retrieved from https://www.drugabuse.gov/opioid-summaries-by-state/oklahoma-opioid-involved-deaths-related-harms

NCHEC. (2017). Areas of responsibility for a health education specialist in 2015. Retrieved from https://www.nchec.org/assets/2251/hespa_competencies.pdf

Oklahoma Rehabilitation Council. (2016). Writing Op-Eds and letters to the editor. Retrieved from https://orc.okstate.edu/content/writing-op-eds-and-letters-editor

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Module 3 – SLP
COMMUNICATING HEALTH RISKS
The Session Long Project entails going through the process of influencing policymakers. In prior SLP assignments, you wrote a letter to “raise a concern,” “oppose a position,” or “support a position.” While these are direct ways of influencing policymakers through letter writing, there are additional indirect ways that can also help you achieve your objectives. Some ways are writing a letter to the editor or “Op-Eds.”

Make sure to review the Oklahoma Rehabilitation Council “Writing Op-Eds and letters to the editor” page to help you complete this assignment.

Part 1:

Choose any topic that is related to the category stated in SLP 1.
Pick a local newspaper to write to (you can use your hometown paper if you desire). Provide the name of the newspaper and the city.
Write a one-page letter to the editor.
Part 2:

Write one page of text on tips for writing a letter to the editor.
What are some advantages of writing a letter to the editor compared to the letters from prior SLP assignments?
Recap: Your assignment should consist of A one-page letter to the editor and one page on tips/advantages for writing a letter to the editor.