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Most of you probably know that you have a local health department in your county, and some of you may know that it is where you go to get your child immunized. Have you ever wondered what else it does? You might be surprised to learn that your local health unit is working every day to ensure that your community has clean water, that our food supply is safe, that diseases are kept under control and that we maintain our preparedness for potential terrorist activities. The face of public health is changing but it is dedicated to its primary goal of keeping you and your hometown healthy.
This week, local public health providers are joining in a national celebration to recognize the accomplishments of public health and acknowledge the individuals who work in these programs. The health department is partnering with the Arkansas Public Health Association, Arkansas Center for Health Improvement, Stamp Out Smoking, Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) College of Public Health and UAMS Regional Programs, Area Health Education and Rural Hospital Program for this special week.
Our public health system, with its focus on primary prevention, continues to be our first defense against disease and injury and the basis for future improvements in the length and quality of our lives. If working properly, many of the activities of public health are invisible. When it fails, communities suffer and personal health care costs increase. If public health is doing its job, people flourish and communities prosper. Since the turn of the
century, the life expectancy of Americans has increased from 45 to 75 years. While advances in medicine are
credited with five of those years, public health measures are responsible for the vast majority of the gain - 25 years of living.
There were not always as many reasons to celebrate as there are today. In the early 1900s, Arkansans couldn't rely on the purity of water supplies. Untreated sewage was dumped in rivers, lakes and alleys. Typhoid, yellow fever and the plague thrived. But, today, thanks to public health, routine testing and inspections quickly identify potential hazards before they become threats, so that outbreaks of waterborne disease are rare. Similarly, when floods, earthquakes or tornadoes threaten the water supply and sanitation facilities, public health moves quickly to protect our citizens.
Have you ever wondered why you can walk into a restaurant and order from the menu or purchase items from your local super market without risking health or life? The answer is public health. Local sanitarians in each county inspect the facilities you visit to ensure they meet required standards and regulations.
Rather than focusing on one sick individual, public health focuses on activities such as those that affect the health of the entire community. Public health organizes community-wide efforts to prevent disease and protect against health hazards. Currently, we are working diligently to aid in the efforts of communities to prepare for a biological, chemical or nuclear threat.
These methods have been successful. The 10 greatest public health achievements of this century - vaccination, motor vehicle safety, safer workplaces, control of infectious disease, reductions in coronary heart disease and stroke, safer and healthier foods, healthier mothers and babies, family planning, fluoridation of drinking water and recognition of tobacco use as a health hazard - have reduced deaths and injuries and increased our life expectancy and quality of life. Though these are significant achievements, the job of public health is not complete. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services health indicators show that Arkansans fare worse on rates of tobacco use, responsible behavior and injury/violence than citizens in many other states.
Public health in Arkansas has been busy this past year. Arkansas has seen funding come into the state to prioritize tobacco issues and educate our children not to start smoking and to communicate to our adults the risks associated with tobacco use. The events of September 11 changed the perspective of every American regarding
issues like homeland security, mass vaccinations and preparedness for the potential of another terrorist event. The health department is currently working with federal, state and local partners to develop a plan to improve our ability to respond to such potential threats. Additional activities include:
- Investigating and controlling the outbreak of whooping cough that plagued our state (948 cases in 46
counties, to date.)
- Increasing our capacity to test for biological agents most likely to be used by bioterrorists
- Testing every potential case of anthrax in the state (As of October 12, 2001, approximately 500 samples have been sent to our laboratories.)
- Documenting and addressing concerns of Arkansans regarding anthrax (ADH has received over 900 phone calls from residents, health care workers and emergency responders.)
- Developing a comprehensive cancer control plan that addresses
all forms of cancer in our state
- Providing 4704 mammograms and 3675 Pap smears through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Breast and Cervical Cancer Control Program (January 1 - December 30, 2001)
- Serving approximately 80,000 women, infant and children a month through our WIC program
- Serving over 70,000 children from newborns to the age of 18 years for immunizations during 2001
Contact your local health unit to find out how they are celebrating Public Health Week, April 1-7, and become a part of the changing face of public health.
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