This blog covers some of the aspects of “The 10 Greatest Public Health Achievements - United States 2000-2010” according to the CDC.
As the title of the article suggests, it summarizes the ten significant changes in public health. There are impressive decreases in pneumococcal conjugated, hepatitis A and B, as well as varicella due to vaccines. State and local public have improved in controlling infectious diseases while laboratories identify and control spreading of diseases. The government have increased the taxes in order to control tobacco. There is standard screening for babies to identify six disorders. Motor Vehicle Safety has improved by safer vehicles, improved roadways and safer road use. Cardiovascular Disease prevention is done by controlling the causes and earlier screening, similar to what is done for cancer. Due to regulations injuries in the nursing profession, farms (in children) and fishing industry have decreased. Regulations have also prevented childhood lead poisoning. Finally, the public health system has improved its response to cases of bioterrorism and dealing with pandemics. All of these are important improvements.
Occupational safety is an issue in my hometown. As an agricultural area, all of the kids work on the family farm. Kids work within their capabilities (as decided by their parents); which are underestimated by policy makers. For example, all farm kids drive while underage. The learner-permit age is 15. When their parents deem them responsible, the kids are allowed to drive on their own (~age 13). But according to the government these kids do not have the skills to drive. (Ironically, the dangerous drivers are kids who didn’t grow up driving.) Parents know their child’s capabilities (like their ability to drive) better than people who have never met the kids. The current premier, a farmer, was taken to task by urban opposition politicians for letting his pre-teen kids drive… the urbanites badly lost that PR battle. Yes, children have accidents when working on a farm but so do adults. A neighbouring farmer almost lost his hand, while cleaning out a hay bailer. No one denies that there is a risk to farming but realistically putting new guidelines is not going to change farmers’ behaviour – look at all the underage drivers.
Another issue discussed that is important is the increase of taxes on tobacco. Getting cigarettes in high school was really easy to do (or so I’m told). Kids had to pay a ‘risk charge’ (for the risk the adult seller faced) on top of the cost of the actual cigarettes. When the government increased the taxes on cigarettes, prices soared – making smoking too expensive for most teenagers in my school. This prevented quite a few potential addictions.
Kat,
ReplyDeleteI loved that you shared personal experience with us that allowed us to not only hear about the issue but see how it affects individuals. I totally agree and really would see changes in the way nutrition is offered to young people; Changes like healthier school lunches and healthier thinks to drink that don't consist of dyes and sugar. I have an article I would like to share with you about the lunch programs in some schools. This article does nicely with your points made in your blog.
Follow this link
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/05/pink-slime-for-school-lun_n_1322325.html
Wow. That is disgusting. I wonder if they have released the qualities needed for 'food' to be rated "the highest standard for food safety". It makes me fearful of what passes but isn't considered the "highest standard" of food.
DeleteResponse for Kat’s blog:
ReplyDeleteKat – this is a great blog! You did a really nice job summarizing the top 10 PH interventions for the past decade. Your take on farming is very interesting – you definitely have a unique perspective given that you were raised on a farm, and do a very good job neutralizing what might seem crazy to those of us who don’t live on a farm (children driving at 13, for example). You point out that those who drive earlier actually have fewer accidents later in life – is there data on that or it more your common-sense telling you that? Do you think that children who drive younger are at less risk at the time as well, or is it more of a future risk reduction? It would be interesting to see the specific types of farm injuries that occur and in whom. I would definitely agree with you that parents know their children better than others, but do you think that parents also sometimes inflate their children’s capabilities because they think more of them? I can tell you that I have a younger brother and sister who are 12 years younger than me, and although they are very capable people, I often overestimate what they are able to handle because I consider them to be responsible in comparison to their peers. I often have to step back to remind myself how young they really are.
Your discussion of cigarette taxes is also very good. Pricing for cigarettes tends not to be very elastic, meaning that as the price goes up, the purchasing does not go down as much as one might suspect based on price alone. It’s likely because it’s an addictive, highly desired substance. But for children and teenagers who are not yet addicted, and whose income is much less, the prices to affect them more – it’s more elastic in this population. There are a lot of debates going on right now about alcohol taxes and soda taxes, with lawmakers sometimes willing to make compromises and to pass a lower tax than that asked for by the advocates. The counterargument is that a smaller tax will not meet the threshold to make the soda or alcohol inelastic enough – it won’t be enough of a hindrance. In other words, doubling the tax won’t always half the number of people who give up smoking/drinking.
Childhood obesity is a great challenge today, and access to healthy affordable food and making people realize that healthy food is better fuel for the body are both certainly critical parts of the solution. Parents, I agree, have to be more involved as well. It’s a complex problem, and I think that though there is no one magic key to reversing it, there are many steps we could take to reduce it significantly such as the ones you outlined in your blog.
Nice job! I look forward to next week!
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