Does Public Health Have A Future?

Ebola’s arrival in the U.S. hit Americans with a jolt. Regardless of how you feel about the response to date, it should remind everyone of the importance of public health. Fortunately, public health in the U.S. has built an extraordinary track record of success. Smallpox, one of the most dreaded diseases in history, was eradicated worldwide. New vaccines have sharply cut the toll of deaths and disabilities from H flu meningitis, tetanus, pneumococcal sepsis and other deadly diseases. Adding folate to foods dramatically reduced neural tube defects in newborns. Safer cars and better roadway designs cut fatal crashes per million vehicle miles traveled by 90 percent. Because smoking is far less popular than it once was, 8 million Americans have been spared early and agonizing deaths from cancer, heart disease, emphysema, and other smoking-related diseases. From the earliest days of the republic, public health has played an important role in the military as well. George Washington ordered the inoculation of the Continental Army to prevent smallpox. Because preventing disease and non-battle injuries is a potent “force multiplier,” the U.S. military has long been at the forefront of research on tropical medicine (particularly malaria and dengue), vaccine-preventable diseases, and biodefense. Today, military researchers are heavily engaged in developing better diagnostics and treatments for Ebola. The collective impact of these efforts is staggering. Since 1900, Americans’...
Source: Health Affairs Blog - Category: Health Management Authors: Tags: All Categories Environmental Health Prevention Public Health Source Type: blogs