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The Most Important Public Health Achievements and Events

20th Century Public Health Achievements

According to the CDC, public health has been credited with adding 25 years to the life expectancy of people living in the U.S. in the 20th century. But, how? Since it can be difficult for the general public to understand the impact of public health interventions, the CDC created Ten Great Public Health Achievements in the 20th Century as a very helpful overview of all the great things public health has been able to achieve.
Vaccination to reduce epidemic diseases 
At the beginning of the 20th century, infectious diseases such as smallpox, measles, diphtheria, and pertussis were widely prevalent. Since there were few effective measures available, death tolls were high. Both the development and promotion of vaccinations against preventable diseases has resulted in dramatic declines in morbidity and mortality and even results in the eradication of smallpox.
Improved motor vehicle safety 
Since 1925, there has been a 90% decrease in the annual death rate due to motor vehicle travel. This is particularly impressive given the number of motor vehicles, drivers, and miles traveled in motor vehicles have all increased dramatically since 1925.Some of the biggest interventions include regulations developed and enforced regarding safety belts, alcohol-impaired drivers, young drivers, pedestrians, and child safety and booster seats.
Safer workplaces 
Data from CDC's National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) National Traumatic Occupational Fatalities (NTOF) surveillance system indicate that the annual number of work-related deaths decreased 28% from 1980 to 1995 with a 43% decrease in occupational injuries during the same time.
Control of infectious diseases 
The leading causes of death in 1900 were pneumonia, tuberculosis (TB), and diarrhea and enteritis whereas in 1997, 4.5% of deaths were attributable to pneumonia, influenza, and HIV infection. Sanitation and hygiene, vaccination, and antibiotics are among the control measures responsible for this marked decrease. Who knew handwashing could be so powerful!
Decline in death from cardiovascular disease 
While deaths due to infectious death have gone down dramatically, heart disease has been the leading cause of death for most of the 20th century. Since 1950, age-adjusted death rates from cardiovascular disease have been cut by more than half. Some of the key public health factors contributing to this decline include the decline in tobacco use, changes in the U.S. diet, and better early detection and treatment of those at risk of cardiovascular disease (e.g. individuals with hypertension, high cholesterol, etc.)
Food Safety 
Contaminated food and water resulted in many foodborne infections in early in the 20th century. Advances, such as refrigeration, pasteurization, pest control, animal control, and food safety regulations that promoted better hygiene and sanitation practices all contributed to decreases in foodborne infections.
Improvements in maternal and child health 
Childbirth use to come with great risk to many mothers and infants. Over the span of the century, the infant mortality rate declined greater than 90% and the maternal mortality rate declined almost 99%. Improvements in nutrition, standards of living, access to health care, and surveillance and monitoring of disease contributed to reducing risks to mothers and infants.
Family planning 
Better family planning interventions have resulted in longer intervals between births and smaller family sizes, both of which have been associated with improved maternal and child health outcomes.
Fluoridation of drinking water 
At the beginning of the century, extensive dental caries was common in the U.S. with tooth extraction being the main treatment option available. Several studies have suggested that water fluoridation has contributed to reductions in dental caries when compared to communities without fluoridated water.
Reductions in prevalence of tobacco use 
Smoking has been associated with a number of morbidities including cardiovascular disease, cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and low birth weight. According to the CDC, it is the leading preventable cause of death and disability in the United States. Due to massive public health efforts that include smoking cessation interventions and regulation of the purchase and use of tobacco, there have been substantial reductions in smoking.


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Health Achievement Infographic:
Answer each of the following questions in depth:
Describe one additional achievement that you would add to the lists of public health achievements including the year(s) it occurred and how it changed public health. Meaning, chose a Health Achievement that you do not see on the list, that you feel is import to public health and discuss.
Explain why this achievement is the best choice
Assess the impact of your chosen achievement to one historical development in public health and to its effect on one infectious and/or chronic disease.
Include at least three pictures or graphics that relate to the topic
This website can offer some examples and guidance: Canva Templates. (2017). Infographic templates. Retrieved from https://www.canva.com/templates/infographics/
Include all references in APA format. Post your infographic as an attachment. Do not copy and paste directly into the thread.
Refer to the Writing and Library Skills Resources for examples and additional support.
Post your responses to the Discussion based on the course requirements.
References in APA format must be included.