Document Detail


Chernobyl and iodine deficiency in the Russian Federation: an environmental disaster leading to a public health opportunity.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  12532684     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
The Chernobyl nuclear disaster of April 26, 1986, triggered a chain of devastating events that later included an unexpected increase in childhood thyroid cancer and evidence of iodine deficiency (ID) in Russia. For the Russian people the Chernobyl event had profound psychological impacts, provoking anxiety about nuclear technology and mistrust of governmental control efforts. Frequently in public health a crisis is required to create the political will to manage longstanding problems, and public health officials must rapidly mobilize to take advantage of the opportunity. In this case, ID, previously not seen as a problem in Russia, was recognized to be potentially serious, and the Russian Federation, assisted by the catalytic bi-national effort of the U.S.-Russian Joint Commission on Economic and Technological Cooperation (Gore-Chernomyrdin Commission (GCC)) established a model salt iodization policy, developed a planning process, and implemented a program to prevent ID through a systematic approach that included the people, government, and private groups using open communication, dissemination of the findings, and action plans. By 1999, political will had been mobilized and over 20% of the nation's salt was being iodized, up from about 1% in 1996. Universal iodization of salt was not a specific objective of the GCC; however, the increasing availability of iodized salt is leading to the elimination of ID, which is now a political goal in Russia. The full realization of this goal will require more time for education, marketing, and possibly legislative action.
Authors:
Richard J Jackson; David M DeLozier; Gregory Gerasimov; Olga Borisova; Paul L Garbe; Lioudmila Goultchenko; George Shakarishvili; Joseph G Hollowell; Dayton T Miller
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Journal of public health policy     Volume:  23     ISSN:  0197-5897     ISO Abbreviation:  J Public Health Policy     Publication Date:  2002  
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2003-01-20     Completed Date:  2003-03-03     Revised Date:  2008-11-21    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  8006508     Medline TA:  J Public Health Policy     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  453-70     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway, NE-Mail Stop F-29, Atlanta, Georgia 30341-3717, USA.
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Byelarus / epidemiology
Child
Child, Preschool
Congenital Abnormalities / epidemiology
Deficiency Diseases / epidemiology,  etiology,  prevention & control
Disaster Planning / organization & administration*
Environmental Exposure / adverse effects*
Goiter, Endemic / complications,  epidemiology*,  etiology,  prevention & control*
Humans
Infant, Newborn
Iodine / deficiency*,  radiation effects,  supply & distribution*,  urine
Middle Aged
Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced / epidemiology*,  etiology
Nuclear Reactors*
Public Policy*
Radioactive Hazard Release*
Russia / epidemiology
Sodium Chloride, Dietary / supply & distribution*
Thyroid Gland / radiation effects
Thyroid Neoplasms / epidemiology,  etiology
Ukraine / epidemiology
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
0/Sodium Chloride, Dietary; 0/iodized salt; 7553-56-2/Iodine

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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