Resistance to Change

As a nursing student, I am always interested in evidence-based guidelines and research that can affect patient care. Consistently, however, I am discouraged by the slow uptake and recognition of life-changing research by society. Effective prophylaxis for scurvy was discovered decades before most ships to begin carrying citrus. Similarly, we have evidence-based guidelines for diabetes management, but many lack the education, financial resources, or motivation to follow through with a care plan that can save their lives. The devastating consequences of an unhealthy diet reliant on processed foods are known, yet these foods are still highly marketed and available. Making whole foods and a plant-based diet more accessible is one step towards change, yet this article recognizes the fact that often, this is not enough. Though higher prices are one factor, plain unwillingness to change seems to be another. I have been hearing about efforts to initiate emotion-based marketing tools (similar to the graphic images used on cigarette packages), and I wonder if this may end up helping the issue.