Prevention of Disease in Modern Britain (Edexcel GCSE History)

Modern Approaches to the Prevention of Disease - Timeline & Summary

The governments of the 20th and 21st centuries take a more active role in preventing disease. The science explaining why people became ill was much clearer and widely available. The public could no longer accept a laissez-faire government.

The government took action in many ways. The success of the smallpox vaccination led to more compulsory vaccination programmes in the 20th century. Vaccinations mean that it is rare to catch diseases like diphtheria and tetanus in Britain today.

The government also passed laws to build upon the progress made by the 1875 Public Health Act. Scientific studies linked the amount of air pollution to poor health. This led to laws targeting poor air quality. The dangers of second-hand smoke prompted the government to pass anti-smoking laws in 2006. The government recognised that lifestyle could impact people's health. This encouraged the government to promote better eating and exercise habits. These healthy living campaigns like Change4Life provided people with advice about maintain good health.

Despite the progress made in the 21st century, not all diseases are preventable. The science of genetics helps scientists understand hereditary diseases. The methods to prevent these from passing to future generations are not fully developed. Many people also resent the role the government takes in public health. There is a sharp rise in parents not vaccinating their children. Without herd immunity, there are more cases of childhood diseases like measles. The effectiveness of healthy living campaigns is uncertain. The increase in obesity in Britain would suggest they have limited effect.

End of Laissez-Faire Attitudes

There are two main reasons why the government dropped their laissez-faire attitudes in the 20th century:

1. They understood what caused disease

2. There were more methods to prevent disease

Better Understanding of the Causes of Disease

• The acceptance of Germ Theory over miasma in the late 19th century meant the government understood what caused diseases to occur

• With this knowledge, the government knew their actions could have an impact on the health of the nation

More Methods of Prevention

• Compulsory vaccination

  • The 20th century saw the implementation of more vaccination programmes. These included:

    • Whooping cough (1950)

    • Tetanus (1961)

    • Measles (1968)

    • Rubella (1970)

• Public Health laws

  • The government aimed to improve air quality to reduce the number of citizens suffering from lung diseases

  • The addition of fluoride to some parts of the nation's water supply. This aimed to prevent tooth decay

• Better communication about health risks

  • Healthy living campaigns ensured the public knew the risks of unhealthy habits

    • These encouraged people to improve their lifestyles

    • Charities like the British Heart Foundation supported the government in their campaigns

  • During pandemics like COVID-19  (2020-2022) and epidemics such as Ebola (2014-2015), the government enforced quarantine and travel restrictions to slow the spread of the diseases

    • The government communicated the causes of the diseases

    • They also publicised information about the  preventative actions people should take

New Approaches to Prevention: Mass Vaccinations

• Inspired by the success of the smallpox vaccination programme, the government decided to target other diseases through vaccination

  • They focused on diseases which caused serious illness or death in children. Vaccines tend to be more effective on children

• Diphtheria (1942)

  • 3000 children died each year from the disease

  • The government feared that cramped air-raid shelters in the Second World War would spread diphtheria among children

  • The national vaccination campaign led to the categorisation of diphtheria as a disease of the past by the mid-20th Century

• Polio (1962)

  • In the early 1950s, there were 8000 cases in Britain each year

  • The last case of polio in Britain was in 1984. This shows how successful the vaccination programme was in Britain

• HPV (2008)

  •  This shows the development of vaccines against diseases which can transform into multiple illnesses

  • A report in 2021 stated that the HPV vaccine had resulted in an 87% reduction in cervical cancer cases

• Some people choose to not vaccinate their children. This is because:

  • They are angry that the government is interfering in their life

  • They do not trust medical professionals

  • They believe that vaccines are unsafe

New Approaches to Prevention: Government Legislation

• Governments of the 20th and 21st centuries have used their legal powers to improve the health of the nation

The Clean Air Acts of 1956 and 1968

• London experienced bad periods of smog in 1952

  • Smog is a mixture of fog and smoke created by air pollution

  • Large cities like London relied upon coal for heating and running factories

  • The smoke from burning coal produced excessive pollution in the air

• The poor quality of air triggered an increase in respiratory diseases

  • Bronchitis killed between 800,000 and 1.4 million people from 1840-1900

• The Clean Air Acts of 1956 and 1968 aimed to improve air quality

  • The law allowed local authorities to create 'smokeless zones'

  • Payments to households who swapped using coal for gas or electricity (which did not create smoke when burnt) helped them convert their houses

• Whilst air quality improved, there are still issues with pollution today

  • The government continue to limit car emissions. In 2019, London Mayor Sadiq Khan introduced ULEZ (Ultra Low Emission Zone). People who drive petrol or diesel vehicles have to pay a charge to enter Central London

  • In 2020, a nine-year-old girl called Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah was the first person to have air pollution listed as her cause of death. Ella was exposed to "excessive" levels of pollution living in Lewisham, South-East London

Anti-Smoking Laws

• The Health Act of 2006 established new restrictions on smoking.  People were no longer allowed to smoke in:

  • All enclosed workspaces

  • On public and work transport

  • In pubs, clubs, cafes and restaurants

  • In shopping centres and hotels

•  A study found that between 1996 and 2007, children's exposure to second-hand smoke declined by almost 70%

New Approaches to Prevention: Government Lifestyle Campaigns

• There was a larger emphasis in the 21st century on the public attempting to prevent some diseases themselves

  • The science that linked lifestyle to illness was much more detailed in the 21st century

  • The demand for the NHS increased to unmanageable levels

  • There was a need to reduce the amount of people suffering from preventable diseases

• The government introduced healthy living campaigns. These campaigns aimed to educate the public about the health implications of certain habits. Examples of these are:

  • Adverts warning about the dangers of smoking, binge drinking and unprotected sex

  • National events, such as Stoptober, which encourage people to give up smoking

  • Campaigns which promoted healthy eating and regular exercise. The government introduced Change4Life in 2015

• Developments in technology helped these campaigns spread across the nation

  • Most households have TV and radio. The government used these modes of communication to show their healthy living adverts to the nation

  • A government website dedicated to public health. Initially, this was Public Health England. It is now the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities and the UK Health Security Agency

  • Change4Life has a SugarSmart app which helps busy families determine the amount of sugar in everyday items