Role of Public Health in America

Regan OrmanHLST 2001Spring 2014

Introduction: What is Public Health?

The goal of public health is the prevention of heath crises through education and awareness. Preventative measures, based on research, are taken in order to avoid spreading disease amongst a population. Anything from water purification to community sanitation departments encompass the idea of “public health”.

EXAMPLES OF PUBLIC HEALTH At the Federal, State, and Local levels, implementation of Public Health initiatives should be a primary concern (Williams and Torrens, 2008). VACCINATIONSSANITATIONHEALTH EDUCATIONVITAL STATISITICSFOOD SAFETY

The Role of Public Health in America

Do Public Health Initiatives Work?

While the United States spends more on health care than any other nation in the world, it lags behind many developed nations in important health measures (APHA, n.d.). For example, doctors frequently treat diseases related to poor diet and exercise, obesity, smoking, HIV/AIDS, etc. Instead of treating the symptoms, the focus should be on educating the public on SAFETY and PREVENTION.

Let’s Take a Step Back…

Hippocrates (460 BC-380 BC) is often considered the father of Western medicine, and was the first widely recognized figure to recognize the need for public health.

“We must also consider the qualities of the waters and the mode in which the inhabitants live, and what are their pursuits, whether they are fond of drinking and eating to excess and given to indolence, or are fond of exercise and labor, and not given to excess in eating and drinking” (Public health timeline, n.d.).

The History of Public Health

Created to address health issues concerning maritime trade, such as scurvy and yellow fever, it later became the US Public Health Service (Public health timeline, n.d.)

1798- Marine Hospital Service

New York is the first state to conduct a sanitation survey, examining the poor living conditions of those in the city (Public health timeline, n.d.).

1863- New York Sanitation Movement

Foundation of the APHA. Now the oldest and largest association of public health professionals in the world (Public health timeline, n.d.).

1872- American Public Health Assn.

The Evolution of Public HealthIn the early 20th century, EPIDEMICS struck America, and took a painful toll on the country’s population.

Events like this led to implementation of public health standards by the national government to prevent the spread of disease.

1909- Bubonic Plague in San Francisco, CA finally diminishes after causing many deaths (Public health timeline, n.d.).

1918- Influenza outbreak kills over 600,000 people and does not subside until the 1950s (Public health timeline, n.d.).

For a complete timeline, utilize this link: http://www.sphtc.org/timeline/flash%20timeline/player.html

The Concerns of Public Health Expand

Child Labor Laws

Family Planning

Water Fluoridatio

nTobacco Hazards

Vaccinations

Child Labor Reform

The National Child Labor Committee’s work to end child labor was combined with efforts to provide free, compulsory education for all children, and culminated in the passage of the Fair Labor Standards Act in 1938, which set federal standards for child labor (Health issues, n.d.).

Why is this a concern of public health? Higher mortality rates occur when children are forced to work. Employee safety and health is also compromised.

Developmental risk factors for children include: • Rapid skeletal growth• Development of organs and tissues• Greater risk of hearing loss• Developing ability to assess risks• Greater need for food and rest• Higher chemical absorption rates• Smaller size• Lower heat tolerance

Family Planning• Margaret Sanger (1879-

1966) published two controversial pamphlets concerning basic knowledge “every woman should know” about menstruation and sexual tendencies (Public health timeline, n.d.).

• She also highly advocated the use of birth control.

• This was the first step toward women’s health initiatives.

Water Fluoridation

Just two short years later, in 1948, many North American municipalities began to add fluoride ions to the public water supply (Public health timeline, n.d.). Not only did this action reduce the overall tooth decay of the population, but it proved that improving public health was beneficial to everyone- improving the quality of life, not just the health, of Americans.

In 1946, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was established in Atlanta.

Tobacco Declared Hazardous

In 1964, Surgeon General Luther Terry released the first Report on Smoking and Health, which was the first government publication concerning the negative effects of smoking on one’s health.

In the last 50 years, 31 Surgeon General’s Reports have been released. We now know that smoking causes a host of cancers and other illnesses and is still the leading preventable cause of death in the United States, killing 443,000 people each year (Tobacco, n.d.).

Mandatory Vaccinations

However…Programs of population-wide vaccinations resulted in:The Eradication of SmallpoxElimination of Polio in the AmericasControl of measles, rubella, tetanus,

diphtheria, and other infectious diseases in the United States and other parts of the world (What is public health?, n.d.).

Vaccines may be one of the most controversial movements associated with government implemented public health initiatives.

Courtesy of www.whatispublichealth.org.

In the 20th Century

Current State of Public Health

Strengths

In the 20th century, the rate of people who smoked dropped from 45% in 1965 to 19% in 2010 (APHA, n.d.).

Vaccines, such as the flu shot, have drastically decreased the occurrence of epidemics.

Every dollar spent on prevention saves about $5.60 in health care costs (APHA, n.d.).

Challenges

The amount of money spent by the government to promote public health is still very low compared to the money spent of treating preventable diseases, such as obesity, heart disease and diabetes.

Natural disaster, terrorism, population control, and drug misuse are areas of public health that have yet to be addressed (Williams and Torrens, 2008).

The Future of Public Health

Public health is a sleeping giant. Its ability to make significant strides in the future is unlimited, provided we muster the political will to support it (The future of public health, n.d.).

Minimal investment is no longer going to work. The dramatic increase in life expectancy achieved through public health efforts contributes to one of the greatest challenges facing our health care system and public health — an aging population (The future of public health, n.d.).

Conclusion

The Role of Public Health in America is critical to the health and prosperity of our nation in the future. It is our job to promote all aspects of preventative health care to lessen costs of treatment and increase awareness of disease.

ResourcesAPHA: American Public Health Association. (n.d.). APHA: American Public Health Association. Retrieved February 18, 2014, from http://www.apha.org/

Google Images (2014). The most comprehensive image on the web. Retrieved February 12, 2014 from http://images.google.com/

Health issues. (n.d.). The child labor education project. Retrieved February 19, 2014, from http: www.continuetolearn.uiowa.edu/laborctr/child_labor/about/ health_issues.html

Public health timeline. (n.d.). The North Carolina institute for public health. Retrieved February 19, 2014, from http://www.sphtc.org/timeline/flash%20timeline/player.html

The future of public health. (n.d.). Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved February 19, 2014, from http:// www.cdc.gov/nceh/ehs/ephli/Resources/ CARE_public_health_suppl.pdf

Tobacco. (n.d.). Surgeon General. Retrieved February 19, 2014, from http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/initiatives/tobacco

What is public health?. (n.d.). What is public health?. Retrieved February 19, 2014, from http://www.whatispublichealth.org/

Williams, S. J., & Torrens, P. R. (2008). Introduction to health services. New York: Delmar, Cengage Learning.