Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Can We Talk?

2019; Elsevier BV; Volume: 15; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/j.nurpra.2018.12.015

1878-058X

Denise G. Link,

Global Maternal and Child Health

I ran for the Arizona state legislature in the 2018 election. As I walked my district, I heard two recurring themes. First, people are tired of the fighting in our state and federal legislatures and want their leaders to lead and find ways to work together. Second, they want to believe that someone is listening to them and that what they think matters. One of my discussions was with a “millennial” female professional (not in health care). It was around the time of the nomination for Brett Kavanaugh to be appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court. The topic turned to Roe v. Wade and the concern that it might be overturned, which could result in some immediate changes in Arizona related to abortion and reproductive health. Right now, Arizona has laws from before 1912 that make having an abortion or discussing contraception criminal offenses. As I was expounding on all of this, the young woman said (paraphrased), “I understand the concern, but why all the attention about abortion? I think affordable child care, decent wages, education, access to health care, sexual assault, and other things that impact women’s lives are just as important, if not more so.” Department Editor Denise G. Link, PhD, WHNP-BC, CNE, FAANP, FAAN, is a clinical professor at Arizona State University College of Nursing and Health Innovation in Phoenix. Denise welcomes ideas for future columns and can be reached at [email protected]