Which landmark event in the history of public health significantly reduced the incidence of smallpox?

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: The development of the smallpox vaccine. The smallpox vaccine, developed by Edward Jenner in the late 18th century, was a landmark event in public health that significantly reduced the incidence of smallpox. By introducing a weakened form of the smallpox virus into the body, the immune system was able to produce antibodies to fight off the virus, leading to immunity. This breakthrough led to the eventual eradication of smallpox worldwide in 1980. A: The invention of the microscope is not directly related to reducing the incidence of smallpox. B: The discovery of antibiotics is important in treating bacterial infections, not viral diseases like smallpox. D: The establishment of the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) is crucial for public health, but it did not directly reduce the incidence of smallpox.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D. The Surgeon General's Report on Smoking and Health was released in 1964 and played a crucial role in raising awareness about the dangers of smoking. It led to policies and interventions to reduce smoking rates and improve public health. The other choices are incorrect because: A: The Healthy People initiative is a more recent program focused on setting national health objectives. B: The National Cancer Act primarily focused on cancer research and treatment, not specifically on reducing smoking-related diseases. C: The Great American Smokeout is an annual event started in the 1970s to encourage smokers to quit, but it is not the public health initiative launched in the 1960s.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: The Social Security Act. This legislation was passed in 1935, not 1965, and it did indeed lay the foundation for the creation of Medicare and Medicaid. The Affordable Care Act was passed in 2010, making choice A incorrect. Choice C, the National Health Service Act, is a UK legislation, not related to Medicare and Medicaid in the US. Choice D, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, was passed in 1996 and primarily focused on healthcare information privacy and security, not the establishment of Medicare and Medicaid.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: 1955. In that year, the United States officially declared the goal of eradicating polio with the establishment of the Salk polio vaccine. This marked a significant milestone in the fight against polio. Choices A, C, and D are incorrect because the specific declaration to eradicate polio did not occur in those years. In 1940, efforts were underway but the official declaration was not made. In 1963, the oral polio vaccine was licensed, and in 1988, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative was launched, but the specific goal of eradication was not officially declared in those years.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: Improvement of water and waste disposal systems. The sanitation movement in the 19th century focused on improving public health by implementing better water and waste disposal systems. This helped reduce the spread of waterborne diseases such as cholera and typhoid. Smallpox vaccination (A) was not directly related to the sanitation movement. Antibiotics (B) were developed later in the 20th century and were not a major focus of the sanitation movement. The creation of the World Health Organization (D) occurred in the 20th century and was not a direct outcome of the sanitation movement.