Fri 1/24 Assignment: Public Health News

In 1964, the U.S. Surgeon General issued the first report on the health effects of smoking cigarettes. For the first time, people became aware of the direct link between smoking and lung cancer. In the 50 years that have followed, health care and public health officials have waged a long and vicious war against the negative health effects of cigarette smoking. Now, 50 years since the original report, Acting Surgeon General Boris D. Lushniak M.D., M.P.H., has released a new study to examine just how far we've come in curbing the habit.

He concluded that 5.6 million U.S. children alive today will die prematurely unless current smoking rates drop.

Published on January 17, 2014, the health report has been making waves within the medical and scientific communities. The report found that although smoking rates among adults and teens are less than half what they were in 1964, 42 million American adults and about 3 million middle and high school students continue to smoke-- resulting in nearly half a million smoking related deaths each year.

It is clear that everyone, not just those involved in public health, should care about the implications these findings hold for the growth and prosperity of our population. The evidence is incontrovertible, and the choices we make now are determining whether someone lives or dies.

Despite the facts established in the Surgeon General's report, there are still ethical dilemmas raised by the claim that cigarette smoking must be eliminated. First, there is the issue of violating people's rights as free citizens of America. Those in the smoking cessation movement cannot literally travel the country stomping out people's cigarettes. People are entitled to make their own choices, even if they risk hurting others. The ethical obstacle is this: How far can we go in actively eliminating cigarette smoking among the U.S. population? 

Furthermore, there are still some people and groups who are not so appalled by the Surgeon General's Report. Big time shareholding tobacco companies may view the recent report as a confirmation that the money is still rolling in. They are opposed to the cessation of cigarette smoking, because whether it kills people or not, selling cigarettes puts food on their tables. Also, die-hard smokers may feel violated and become defensive in regards to being able to continue with their habit. These two stakeholders-- large private industries and average citizens of the public-- will hold great sway when trying to turn the publication of this report into a positive event for all.

Public Health officials have suggested several means of reducing cigarette smoking while still leaving the above mentioned stakeholders in good standing. One such way is to lower the amount of nicotine in cigarettes so that they are non-addictive. Another suggestion has even been made to promote other forms of tobacco and nicotine consumption rather than cigarettes or other burned/inhaled forms of tobacco. In the wake of the Surgeon General's Report, those involved in Public Health are desperate to try anything. Doing nothing means everyone loses. 

Sources: 

http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2014pres/01/20140117a.html

http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/reports/50-years-of-progress/exec-summary.pdf

http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/reports/50-years-of-progress/fact-sheet.html

Some Nifty Jobs I've Found

In order to better maintain the professional mood adopted within this course, I will try to be as incisive and clean as possible while posting my job-related findings.

While searching online for jobs related to "Public Health", I found quite a few diverse career options and job postings. Following are a few of the more tangible and concrete job postings that I obtained while researching my potential career path, along with the details required of us by Mr. DeShano:

1.) Public Health Educator

• Company: Clinton County Health Department
• Location: Plattsburgh, NY 12901
• Source: See below

Analysis: What excites me the most about this position is that it serves an active role within the community. Responsibilities listed in the job description include tasks such as conducting seminars and community workshops that promote health and disease prevention, preparing and distributing health education materials, and participating in media and press releases, among many other duties. The position itself requires a Bachelor's degree in Public Health/Health Education, or a degree in a related field with relevant experience. The position is within the Government sector at the county level. Unsurprisingly, the website and job post itself is very sparse and concise, leaving little room for misinterpretation as to the exact nature and duties of the job.    

2.) Food Inspector

• Company: United States Department of Agriculture
• Location: Various. Louisville, KY
• Source: https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/342678500

Analysis: As another government position, this one provided through the USDA, a Food Inspector might not seem like a glamorous job. However, not only is it a stable job with a decent salary for fresh college graduates, but it also serves as a foot in the door for moving on upwards into careers pertaining to public health and sanitation. The position only demands a Bachelor's degree in any field, however extensive credit hours are required of the biological sciences.

3.) Consumer Safety Officer

• Company: United States Department of Health & Human Services
• Location: Silver Spring, MD
• Source: https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/359518700

Analysis: This position would work directly with the Food and Drug Administration within the Investigational New Drug (IND)/New Drug Application (NDA) process. Specifically, the position would require administrative and legal review of new drug submissions, as well as providing FDA regulatory advice involved in the product/drug approval process. While it sounds very heady and technical, the prerequisite for the position is merely a Bachelor's degree which includes 30 credit hours of various sciences including biology and statistics. The position is a little more abstract compared to the others, but the original post is very comprehensible and thorough in describing the duties and qualifications of the job, and the nature of the position is one that would incorporate on-the-job training


Conclusion: If we were to skip forward to the point where I would have all of my Job Search Documents completed and I were ready to make a career decision, I would probably opt for the Health Educator position. There are several key reasons why I would choose this position. First, like I mentioned previously, it satisfies my desire to work within a community, as well as to make a beneficial, authentic influence on population health. Second, the position boasts a wide array of responsibilities which include many skills, ranging from the interpersonal to the computer-related. A third reason why I would choose this position is that it would allow for greater prospects of advanced employment down the road. The position is related to a county health department, which is in constant motion with state and federal levels of government as well as private industries-- all of which would be keen on accepting someone with the experience the Health Educator position would provide.

Job Links:

1. HealthEducator- http://www.clintoncountygov.com/Departments/Personnel/PDFS/Job%20Specifications/P/Public%20Health%20Educator.pdf
2. Food Inspector- https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/342678500
3. Consumer Safety Officer- https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/359518700

Blog Test

This is a test of your local blogging network system. Do not be alarmed.