Public Health Controversies Research Articles

The Conquest of Lead Poisoning: A Pyrrhic Victory

The Conquest of Lead Poisoning: A Pyrrhic Victory

TV News Coverage of Plastic Surgery, 1972-2004

This study content analyzed all of the 265 news story abstracts on various types of plastic surgery from the five major TV networks during the past three decades. Coverage increased during the time periods, concentrating in the 1990s when public health controversy about breast implants erupted. Overall, TV network news coverage was most concerned with the issue of safety and health risk and framed coverage with an emphasis on risk. Unlike traditional health reporting, which relies mostly on doctors in the field, news coverage about plastic surgery extensively used experts from other fields.

TRIPS and the international public health controversies: issues and challenges

The aim of this article is to contribute to an evaluation of the meaning and practical effects of the Trade-Related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) agreement on public health issues. Section 2 presents the situation that prevailed for intellectual property (IP) protection in the pharmaceutical industry before the signing of the TRIPS, in both developed countries and developing countries (DCs). Section 3 is devoted to a presentation of the key changes that have taken place at the legal level with the signing of the TRIPS, providing an opportunity to highlight the way in which TRIPS has disrupted the existing situation by generating a series of serious tensions, notably in the relations between North and South countries. Section 4 is devoted to the new challenges posed by the post-2005 scenario, 2005 being the end of the transition period granted DCs to comply with the TRIPS requirements. Section 5, focusing on the Brazilian anti-AIDS program, tries to illustrate how the post-2005 scene has narrowed the margins for efficient action against the AIDS pandemics and put the Brazilian national public health program under strain.

Youth Tobacco Sales-To-Minors and Possession-Use-Purchase Laws: A Public Health Controversy

Tobacco use among youth remains one of our nation's most significant public health problems, and yet available evidence from prevention and cessation person-centered approaches has been mixed. Given these disappointing outcomes, some have recommended more public health approaches, and these include tobacco sales-to-minors and possession-use-purchase laws. While community members and police officials have endorsed these types of public health initiatives, many within the public health community have been either guarded or even oppositional to such approaches. The primary reasons for this controversy are reviewed in this article. Outcome studies indicate that sales-to-minors laws can be an effective step toward the reduction of youth access to commercial sources of tobacco. However, even with these laws in place, many youth indicate that they continue to have easy access to tobacco, often by means of social sources. Advocates of these approaches have argued that more comprehensive public health interventions are needed, such as programs that combine youth access and possession-use-purchase laws. This article reviews the ongoing debate behind these types of public health efforts, and examines the evidence of such programs to reduce youth tobacco use.

A Public Health Controversy in 19th Century Canada

From 1858 to 1860, the English naturalist and social activist Philip P. Carpenter toured North America. In April of 1859 he visited Montreal, Canada. Shocked by the sanitary conditions of the city, he wrote a paper that used statistical arguments to call for health reforms. Six years later he settled in Montreal and quickly became an active promoter of this cause. He began accumulating additional numerical evidence in support of his views. In the aftermath of a cholera scare in 1866, Carpenter became the driving force behind the creation of the Montreal Sanitary Association. That same year he published a second, more detailed article that took advantage of the 1861 census data to analyze mortality rates in Montreal. He made further statistical investigations in 1869. Unfortunately, Carpenter did not understand some of the subtleties as- sociated with the analysis of vital statistics. An obscure bookkeeper, Andrew A. Watt, made a scathing public attack on both Carpenter's data and his interpretation thereof. In a series of newspaper articles, Watt scrutinized systematically all of Carpenter's writings, showing his faults and correcting them wherever he could. Although Watt's arguments were correct, the public was slow to under- stand them. The controversy continued through 1870. When the nature of Watt's criticisms finally became better understood and Carpenter persisted with statistical arguments, the latter lost credibility and was abandoned by his own association.

FRAMEWORKS FOR ETHICS IN PUBLIC HEALTH

This paper constructs a conceptual framework for the normative study of public health. It argues that to develop discussions of ethics in public health without paying attention to the broader theoretical and ideological context of public health controversies and social conflicts will be of limited value. In defining that context, the author distinguishes three main types of ethical theory-utilitarianism, contractarianism, and communitarianism; and several varieties of political theory -liberal welfarism, liberal egalitarianism, libertarian liberalism, deliberative democracy, civic republicanism, and cultural conservatism. The meanings and interconnections of these theory formations are discussed. Illustrations to particular public health programs and issues are given. The paper also distinguishes four different types of applied ethical discourse in public health-professional ethics, advocacy ethics, applied ethics, and critical ethics. Each of these modes of ethics is important, but the development of work in critical ethics is the most important priority within the normative study of public health at present.

The role of epidemiology in the committee on the costs of medical care

Among the most important 20th century documents of American public health is the 1932 report of the Committee on the Costs of Medical Care (CCMC). In May 1927, leaders of medicine, public health, and the social sciences, met at the annual meeting of the AMA, to consider that, despite advances in medical sciences, a vast amount of preventable disease and unnecessary death existed. A committee of 50 men and women, the CCMC, was formed to investigate. Of the six public health members, three were epidemiologists. A spectrum of governmental and private organizations supported the CCMC and eight foundations provided funding. A staff of 51 conducted 26 studies, many epidemiological, to support its five categorical recommendations. Briefly these were: 1) Medical services, preventive and therapeutic, should be provided by interdisciplinary groups; 2) Basic public health services should be available to all without cost; 3) The costs of medical care should be placed on a group basis (insurance, taxation, or a combination thereof); 4) Study, evaluation, and coordination of medical and public health services should be important functions for local and state governments; and 5) Professional education for a wide variety of medical and public health personnel should be greatly expanded with emphasis on prevention and social considerations.Perhaps the most interesting of the CCMC's epidemiological studies was, “The Incidence of Illness and the Receipt and Costs of Medical Care Among Representative Families: Experiences in Twelve Consecutive Months During 1928–1931.” This study included 8,639 families comprising 38,668 persons and described the then current status of medical care and public health practice in the U.S.A.The final report of the CCMC contained minority reports ranging from claims that the recommendations were too radical to assertions that they didn't go far enough! Nevertheless, they have been the focus for medical and public health concern and controversy for almost three-quarters of a century. Their roots in epidemiology should not be forgotten!

Citizen Activism, Environmental Regulation, and the Location of Industrial Plants: Evidence from India

Previous articleNext article No AccessCitizen Activism, Environmental Regulation, and the Location of Industrial Plants: Evidence from IndiaSheoli Pargal and Muthukumara ManiSheoli PargalWorld Bank Search for more articles by this author and Muthukumara ManiWorld Bank Search for more articles by this author World BankPDFPDF PLUS Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail SectionsMoreDetailsFiguresReferencesCited by Economic Development and Cultural Change Volume 48, Number 4July 2000 Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1086/452479 Views: 63Total views on this site Citations: 21Citations are reported from Crossref © 2000 by The University of Chicago. All rights reserved.PDF download Crossref reports the following articles citing this article:Peizhen Jin, Siyu Wang, Desheng Yin, Hang Zhang Environmental institutional supply that shapes a green economy: Evidence from Chinese cities, Technological Forecasting and Social Change 187 (Feb 2023): 122214.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2022.122214Gaurav Bhattacharya Industry Size and Trade Protection in the Presence of Environmental Regulations: An Empirical Investigation of the Indian Manufacturing Sector, World Trade Review 50 (Nov 2022): 1–32.https://doi.org/10.1017/S1474745622000465Andrew Tracy, Amy Javernick-Will, Abbie Liel Factors influencing public beliefs regarding the cause of induced earthquakes, Natural Hazards 114, no.11 (May 2022): 183–204.https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-022-05386-9Yu Hao, Yunxia Guo, Haitao Wu The role of information and communication technology on green total factor energy efficiency: Does environmental regulation work?, Business Strategy and the Environment 31, no.11 (Oct 2021): 403–424.https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.2901Xin-Xin Pan, Mei-Lan Chen, Li-Meng Ying, Fang-Fang Zhang An empirical study on energy utilization efficiency, economic development, and sustainable management, Environmental Science and Pollution Research 27, no.1212 (Mar 2019): 12874–12881.https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-04787-xGrant Alan Burrier, Philip Hultquist Temples, travesties, or something else? The developmental state, ecological modernization, and hydroelectric dam construction in India, World Development 124 (Dec 2019): 104642.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2019.104642Gaurav Bhattacharya Location decisions of industries in the presence of transportation costs and environmental regulations: empirical evidence from India, Journal of Social and Economic Development 21, no.11 (Apr 2019): 24–53.https://doi.org/10.1007/s40847-019-00074-0Amelia Bonea Technological anxieties: telecom towers and public health controversies in urban India, Contemporary South Asia 1 (May 2017): 1–16.https://doi.org/10.1080/09584935.2017.1321616S. Serban Scrieciu Measuring Environmental Action and Economic Performance in Developing Countries, SSRN Electronic Journal (Jan 2015).https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2603871Shigeru Matsumoto, Kenji Takeuchi The effect of community characteristics on the frequency of illegal dumping, Environmental Economics and Policy Studies 13, no.33 (Mar 2011): 177–193.https://doi.org/10.1007/s10018-011-0011-5Marta Aloi, Frederic Tournemaine Growth effects of environmental policy when pollution affects health, Economic Modelling 28, no.44 (Jul 2011): 1683–1695.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.econmod.2011.02.035Jorge E. Rivera, Kalim Shah Export Processing Zones and Corporate Environmental Performance in Emerging Economies: The Case of the Oil, Gas, and Chemical Sectors of Trinidad and Tobago, SSRN Electronic Journal (Jan 2010).https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1599923Derek Hall Pollution export as state and corporate strategy: Japan in the 1970s, Review of International Political Economy 16, no.22 (Jun 2009): 260–283.https://doi.org/10.1080/09692290802341173Kalim U. Shah, Jorge E. Rivera Export processing zones and corporate environmental performance in emerging economies: The case of the oil, gas, and chemical sectors of Trinidad and Tobago, Policy Sciences 40, no.44 (Oct 2007): 265–285.https://doi.org/10.1007/s11077-007-9045-8Robert B. Anderson, Benson Honig Communities and Corporations in the Neww Global Capitalist Economy, SSRN Electronic Journal (Jan 2005).https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2894739Richard Damania, Per G. Fredriksson, Muthukumara Mani The Persistence of Corruption and Regulatory Compliance Failures: Theory and Evidence, Public Choice 121, no.3-43-4 (Dec 2004): 363–390.https://doi.org/10.1007/s11127-004-1684-0Paul R. Kleindorfer, Michael R. Elliott, Yanlin Wang, Robert A. Lowe Drivers of accident preparedness and safety: evidence from the RMP Rule, Journal of Hazardous Materials 115, no.1-31-3 (Nov 2004): 9–16.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2004.06.016Gilles Grolleau, Tarik Lakhal, Naoufel Mzoughi Does Ethical Activism Lead to Firm Relocation?1, Kyklos 57, no.33 (Aug 2004): 387–402.https://doi.org/10.1111/j.0023-5962.2004.00259.xShanti Gamper-Rabindran, Shreyasi Jha Environmental Impact of India's Trade Liberalization, SSRN Electronic Journal (Jan 2004).https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.574161Per G. Fredriksson, , Muthukumara Mani, , Richard Damania, The Persistence of Corruption and Regulatory Compliance Failures: Theory and Evidence, IMF Working Papers 03, no.172172 (Jan 2003): 1.https://doi.org/10.5089/9781451858594.001Eric Neumayer Pollution Havens: An Analysis of Policy Options for Dealing with an Elusive Phenomenon, The Journal of Environment & Development 10, no.22 (Jan 2019): 147–177.https://doi.org/10.1177/107049650101000203

The socially constructed breast: breast implants and the medical construction of need.

When silicone gel breast implants became the subject of a public health controversy in the early 1990s, the most pressing concern was safety. This paper looks at another, less publicized issue: the need for implants. Using a symbolic interactionist approach, the author explores the social construction of the need for implants by tracing the history of the 3 surgical procedures for which implants were used. Stakeholders in this history constructed need as legitimized individual desire, the form of which shifted with changes in the technological and social context.

?What you don't know can't hurt you?: The right to know and the Shetland Island oil spill

This paper, an account of the Shetland Islands oil spill (1993), examines the public health controversies surrounding the spill and the clean- up response. It critically examines the risk management policies of both the United Kingdom and the Shetland Islands Public Health Office, and suggests that the withholding of critical information contributed to increased anxiety and suspicion among the disaster victims. In an attempt to reassure the victims, the policies contributed to an increased air of uncertainty. It is further argued that the withholding of information prevents those who are at greatest risk from participating in critical decisions that may affect their health and livelihoods and asserts that a right- to- know policy is a critical first step in risk management practices.

Asbestos and cancer: epidemiological and public health controversies.

This paper discusses many of the currently controversial issues surrounding asbestos health effects and their relationship to cancer risk assessment and risk management. The major conclusions reached from this analysis are: (1) All asbestos fiber types are carcinogenic and pose a threat to human health. Therefore, all fiber types should be regulated similarly. (2) The health risks associated with indoor asbestos exposure are uncertain. Available data show that some groups, such as building maintenance personnel (among others), may contract asbestos-related diseases secondary to indoor exposure. Clearly, additional research is needed to accurately determine the extent and nature of disease risk under these conditions. (3) Controlled use has proved an elusive goal. Limited information from underdeveloped countries parallels the experience of Western industrialized nations. Efforts by the Canadian government to establish markets for asbestos in these areas should be opposed. (4) Finally, asbestos-related cancer risk is no longer confined to asbestos industry workers. Asbestos-related mesothelioma has been documented in a wide variety of occupational and nonoccupational settings, highlighting the need for continued surveillance to minimize potential health risks.

Public Health At A Crossroads

Public Health At A Crossroads

A 'gift of God'?: The public health controversy over leaded gasoline during the 1920s.

The intent of this paper is to show that as early as the 1920s public health experts, government officials, scientists, corporate leaders, labor, and the public were acutely aware of the dangers posed by the introduction of lead into gasoline. A spirited and often heated controversy arose with debates centering on issues of health and public policy that remain current today. By examining this controversy, the authors of this paper illustrate how, at every stage of the debate, the political, economic, and scientific issues were inextricably intertwined.

Public Health Controversies—Food Safety Laws: Delaney and Other Dilemmas

Public Health Controversies—Food Safety Laws: Delaney and Other Dilemmas

Editorial: Perspective on a current public health controversy.

Editorial: Perspective on a current public health controversy. W Haddon, JrCopyRight https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.65.12.1342 Published Online: October 07, 2011

California: Reagan and the public health controversy.

California: Reagan and the public health controversy.

Scientific News

Previous articleNext article FreeScientific NewsPDFPDF PLUS Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail SectionsMoreDetailsFiguresReferencesCited by The American Naturalist Volume 11, Number 8Aug., 1877 Published for The American Society of Naturalists Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1086/271942 Views: 71 Citations: 1Citations are reported from Crossref Copyright 1877 A. S. Packard, Jr.PDF download Crossref reports the following articles citing this article:David R. Bellhouse, Christian Genest A Public Health Controversy in 19th Century Canada, Statistical Science 20, no.22 (May 2005).https://doi.org/10.1214/088342305000000052