Lecture 1: Rise and fall of public health

Question 1

What did Semmelweis do?

Answer 1

observed that hand washing decreased mortality, no scientific evidence at the time

Question 2

What did Koch do?

Answer 2

postulates about microorganisms and disease

Question 3

What are the 6 public health interventions of alcohol/tobacco?

Answer 3

1. Increase public awareness
2. Pricing and taxation
3. Advertising and merchandising by industry
4. Restrictions and regulations at point of sale
5. Addressing antisocial behaviour
6. Clinical treatment for patients with problems

Question 4

What are the 8 rungs of the intervention ladder?

Answer 4

1. Do nothing or simply monitor the situation
2. Provide information
3. Enable choice e.g. stop smoking programmes,
4. Guide choices through changing the default policy e.g. restaurants make healthy option the norm with chips as option
5. Guide choices through incentives
6. Guide choices through disincentives
7. Restrict choice
8. Eliminate choice

Question 5

When is an instructive policy justified?

Answer 5

1. when public are supportive or not antagonistic
2. Initiative will have desired effect
3. benefits outweigh the downsides
4. no less intrusive alternatives
5. limited impact on other areas of life