Institute:Office of National Coordinator (ONC) Workforce Training Curriculum
Component:Introduction to Health Care and Public Health in the U.S.
Unit:Introduction and History of Modern Health Care in the U.S.
Lecture:How Public Health has Improved Health Care
Slide content:Control of Nutritional Deficiencies Goiter Enlargement of the thyroid gland in the neck Fortification of salt with iodine virtually eradicated nutritional goiter in the U.S. Tooth Decay Adding fluoride to drinking water substantially reduces the incidence of dental caries 1945 Fluoride added to drinking water in Grand Rapids, Michigan Over 10,000 U.S. communities fluoridate their water 7
Slide notes:Interventions dictated by public health have been responsible for the successful control of many nutritional deficiencies. An example is that of goiter. A goiter is an enlargement of the thyroid gland in the neck, due to impaired thyroid hormone synthesis, due to lack of iodine in the diet. The solution to the problem of nutritional goiter in the United States was to fortify salt with iodine, which virtually eradicated the problem. Another example is the reduction of tooth decay in the population. Frederic McKay, in 1891, first described the association between a reduction in the incidence of dental caries, or tooth decay, in populations, and the addition of fluoride to drinking water. In 1945, Dr. H. Trendley Dean and associates at the National Institute of Health, added fluoride to the drinking water in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and showed a subsequent reduction in caries. Now, more than 10,000 U.S. communities fluoridate their water. 7