Life expectancy in the United States has doubled since the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776. Surprising, right? It shouldn’t be, because the America we have today would not be the same without the 250 years of progress made by everyday men and women working in public health. Put simply, public health is what communities do to keep their friends and families safe and healthy. America, the land of liberty, has long been a trailblazer in the field of public health.
It started when the Revolution did. In 1777, George Washington required all members of the Continental Army to be inoculated against for smallpox. A small decision with a big impact, the smallpox inoculation boosted troop morale and saved hundreds of lives, eventually paving the way for smallpox education and eradication in the 1970s.
Another disease that you’ve probably only heard of in history class is polio. The disease known for paralyzing thousands of Americans by the 1940s, has been dramatically reduced around the world thanks to Dr. Jonas Salk, a New York City-born son of immigrants who developed the first successful polio vaccine in 1955.
In addition to deadly viruses, driving in America used to be a lot scarier. After 52,000 individuals died in motor vehicle accidents in 1967, seat belts were required in all U.S. vehicles beginning in 1968. In the years that followed, seat belt use increased and motor vehicle fatalities have decreased dramatically.
The 1960s also led to major changes in tobacco regulation. The 1964 surgeon general’s report, “Smoking and Health”, revealed to a nation in love with smoking that their favorite pastime caused cancer. In the years following that report, major federal regulations concerning tobacco sales and advertising significantly reduced the rate of new smokers in the U.S.
And what’s American — and Tennessee — public health history without ETSU’s own Randy Wykoff? The founding dean of ETSU’s College of Public Health, Wykoff is a leading voice in public health academia and research. His experience as a physician in tropical medicine allowed him to make major impacts on public health at the state, national and local levels. Wykoff retired from ETSU this past July.
Even if you didn’t realize it before, America is a major player in public health, and public health can be as simple as a seat belt or as complex as leading the next generation of researchers into uncharted territory. As we celebrate America’s 250th anniversary, it’s important to remember where we’ve come from and all the places we can go.
