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How psychiatrists can contribute to the public health

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Robert Kendell
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Public health has traditionally been concerned with the primary prevention of disease, either by eliminating its causes or by enhancing host resistance. Clean water supplies, efficient sewage and rubbish disposal, and refrigeration of food have largely eliminated the micro-organisms responsible for a wide range of infectious diseases, while anti-smoking campaigns have reduced mortality from cancer of the lung and coronary heart disease. Immunisation programmes have had a similarly dramatic effect on the incidence of many bacterial and viral diseases. Indeed, they have completely eliminated smallpox, and the polio virus seems likely to follow it into oblivion.

Type
Research Article
Information
Advances in Psychiatric Treatment , Volume 3 , Issue 4 , July 1997 , pp. 188 - 196
Copyright
Copyright © The Royal College of Psychiatrists 1997 

References

Further reading

CRAG Working Group on Mental Illness (1995) Primary Prevention of Mental Health Problems. Edinburgh: The Scottish Office.Google Scholar
Royal College of Psychiatrists (1993) Prevention in Psychiatry. Council Report CR21. London: Royal College of Psychiatrists.Google Scholar

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