Axelson O
Department of Health and Environment, Faculty of Health Sciences, Linköping University, Sweden.
Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 1997;10(4):339-47.
Throughout history, there are many illustrations showing more or less rational efforts to avoid disease, but preventive measures have often been, and still are, neglected or even counteracted for economic reasons. Some examples of early preventive actions are given along with illustrations of how the increasing knowledge through epidemiological and other research has created a foundation for adequate decisions to the benefit of health protection, although frequently taken after much discussion and considerable time-lag from the first evidence of a particular health risk. There is also an inherent problem in successful health protection since both public and political support for the issue might get lost along with the scientific activity and knowledge in the field.
纵观历史，有许多例证表明人们或多或少在理性地努力预防疾病，但出于经济原因，预防措施过去常常被忽视，现在仍然如此，甚至遭到抵制。文中给出了一些早期预防行动的例子，并配有说明，展示了通过流行病学和其他研究积累的知识如何为做出有益于健康保护的恰当决策奠定了基础，尽管这类决策往往是在经过大量讨论且在首次发现特定健康风险的证据后经历了相当长的时间延迟才做出的。成功的健康保护还存在一个内在问题，即随着该领域科学活动和知识的发展，公众和政治对这一问题的支持可能会丧失。
