Preventive medicine and public health

Article Abstract:

In September 1990, world leaders from 71 nations met in New York and signed an agreement on objectives for improved child health. Great advances in the health of the world's children have been made in the last six years. During this period, vaccination levels in developing countries have risen from 20 to 80 percent. As a result of this improvement in immunization against childhood disease such as measles, diphtheria, and whooping cough, as well as tetanus, an estimated 2.5 millions children did not die last year. Similarly, programs instituted to teach and equip people to prevent the dehydration of children suffering diarrhea are estimated to have saved the lives of one million children. One of the objectives agreed upon by the world leaders was the eradication of polio. This goal seems to be approaching reality, particularly in the western hemisphere. The last case of polio recorded in North or South American occurred in January 1991 in Guatemala. Whether or not a few more cases occur later on this year, it is clear that polio is rapidly becoming extinct in this hemisphere. Additional targets are elimination of guinea worm disease, a parasitic worm infection that is acquired by drinking impure water; reducing measles and diarrhea-related deaths, and decreasing the mortality of children who are under five years of age. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Reports

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Preventive medicine and public health

Article Abstract:

Effective preventive medicine strategies must combine an understanding of human behavior and social conditions with the practice of medicine. The Atlanta Project developed by former President Carter works with communities on a variety of interrelated problems. Children in 20 neighborhoods with significant health and social problems in Atlanta, GA, are benefitting not only from immunizations, but also from preschool programs, improvements in housing and the creation of additional job opportunities in their neighborhoods. Preventive medicine will continue to lose battles against diseases like AIDS and tuberculosis unless practitioners learn how to communicate effectively with the populations at highest risk for developing these diseases. A method used by the World Bank to quantify the impact of diseases will help compare the costs of a variety of conditions. Units known as disability-adjusted-life-years (DALYs) take account of injuries, diseases and deaths.

Practice, Beliefs, opinions and attitudes

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Preventive medicine and public health

Article Abstract:

Preventive medicine and public health have not met their potential to reduce illness and death. Because immunization is required only to enter school, children are not being immunized by age two, the more important public health measure. Vaccine-preventable diseases are increasing in the United States, which is behind other countries in immunization statistics. A new drug-resistant strain of tuberculosis has hindered plans to eradicate the disease. A drug-resistant malaria strain has caused particular concern for West Africans. The differences in health between ethnic, income and class groups is another mark of the failure of the public health system. The inability of science to influence public policy is a reflection of greed and politics. This is seen most clearly in the failure to eliminate tobacco use, which kills over 1,000 people every day. Graduates of public health schools should use the political process to improve the health of all Americans.

Political aspects

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