Using TED Talks to teach social determinants of health

3 Oct. 2014

Dear Editor,

I have been a fan of TED Talks since their popularization a few years ago. Recently, the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Toronto decided to transform their ordinary courses on the social determinants of health (SDOH) into TED lectures, and I entirely support this initiative as they are adapting to the gradual evolution of learning. Moreover, this institution of higher education is effectively informing not only medical doctors and allied health professionals but also entire communities on the SDOH due to the accessibility of those presentations. TED Talks require small amounts of time, are financially advantageous, and represent an excellent way to reach out to the members of society, thereby promoting active involvement in population health.

Usually such high quality presentations or lectures on the SDOH are reserved for physicians and other health workers and are mainly given as conferences in overpriced symposiums. I believe transforming them into TED Talks is a great idea in terms of time because many health professionals lack availability to attend day-long conferences. During residency, for instance, pagers are constantly beeping. Similarly, many nurses and physiotherapists barely have enough time in a day to accomplish all the tasks on their agendas. Concise presentations on the SDOH allow health professionals to acquire another perspective on health; that is, understanding that diseases may not stem entirely from faulty biological mechanisms. They learn to identify and examine societal factors, such as socio-economic status, "education and literacy," and "physical environments," that may be contributing to conditions in which there are deviations from normality (1).

The introduction of TED lectures is also beneficial with regard to money as the video recordings are available online for free. Since when are high-quality presentations offered completely free of charge? Presenters, which are passionate experts, speak with such energy and momentum. Their enthusiasm is contagious! As a student, I occasionally watch TED Talks simply because they deliver thought-provoking ideas in an entertaining way. The recommendations given on the TED Talks website are also useful as they guide the audience toward other videos treating similar subjects, possibly offering contrasting perspectives. In terms of SDOH lectures offered by universities, many "institutions now offer open access to their intellectual property" (1). Furthermore, there even exists the possibility of attending live TED Talks within one's community. These independent TEDx events, which are often hosted by educational institutions, allow interested individuals to interact directly with the speaker and even further discuss the subject after the presentation. Consequently, TED Talks, which are "freely available and accessible," represent a new generation of optimal teaching methods (1).

As stated in the commentary, "technological innovations [do] facilitate connection and communication" (1). TED Talks have an impressive overall outreach since they are open to everyone and thereby allow members of society to gain an understanding of social factors that influence their health. This knowledge of SDOH confers upon them the necessary tools to take responsibility as a society and take collective action to help those who are most at risk. Additionally, the population would understand the many medical changes which are underway, especially the focus on primary care and its importance to not only identify problems earlier and take action to solve them but also with regard to prevention. We cannot solely focus on the infinitely small biological structures making up the body's internal environment as the external environment, that is, society, definitely plays a role.

The commentary proves that efforts are currently being made in order to train health professionals, as well as the population in general, at effectively recognizing social factors that affect health and illness. Identification of this powerful link is a step forward in the comprehension of many states of illness, or deviation from social norms. Finally, SDOH are without a doubt "ideas worth spreading"--and TED lectures, with their open nature, are the quintessential medium for their communication.

Sincerely,

Maxime Masson

References

1. Nicolle E, Britton E, Janakiram P, Robichaud P-M. Using TED Talks to teach social determinants of health: Maximize the message with a modern medium. Can Fam Physician September 2014 60: 777-778.

Conflict of Interest:

None declared