Assignment task:
Reply to
Dr. Goldberger believed that after publishing his findings and showing that pellagra could ultimately be explained as a deficiency in diet particularly the absence of niacin (vitamin B3), the medical community and the government would accept the proof and make efforts to improve nutrition in the poor, especially in the Southern US or any other community that lacked of a proper nutrition. He thought that people would want to make things better by changing food policies and delivering better food.
What actually happened?
Dr. Goldberger did not receive help, but strong opposition. Many people refused to accept that a poor diet was the cause of pellagra, because such a position confronted beliefs about it being a contagious disease. Some even accused him of constructive falsification of his results. Politicians and business leaders showed great resistance to acceptance, because acknowledgement of the true measure of causation meant that poverty and social inequality were to be addressed. It therefore took many years before his findings to be fully accepted and changes to occur. Pellagra finally ended when the US government required enrichment of grain products with niacin. The interventions that were tried before that targeted the people most at risk for Pellagra. Enriching all refined grain projects targeted everyone. What are the advantages and disadvantages of targeting an entire population to prevent a deficiency?
The advantages of targeting a whole population is that everyone's has access to benefits, it adds an efficient amount of nutrients for their health that everyone gets what they need without changing their habits. It helps prevent future comeback of the disease it tries to eliminate completely. The disadvantages are the cost on changing the diets for any politicians. Some people might now want added nutrients in their food, or in some cases people who already get enough of the nutrient may be taking in more when needed. Need Assignment Help?