RADIATION AND THE PUBLIC HEALTH

Journal Article · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1964 · American Journal of Public Health, Supplement (U.S.)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.54.Suppl_1.63· OSTI ID:4032393

Chadwick, D R

National and local programs for radiologic health are discussed. It is pointed out that the total number of persons in the United States working on jobs in which radiation exposure is an actual or potential problem is now estimnted at 500,000. At the present time, environmental contamination from the use of atomic energy consists largely of fallout from nuclear weapons testing. Public health aspects of acute and long-term effects of radiation are discussed, and it is concluded that acute radiation effects, because they are produced usually by acute large exposures, will not occur with sufficient frequency to present a significant public health problem, barring a major contaminating incident. Public health agency programs and activities should, however, place particular emphasis on protection of the public health from protracted low-level exposure to radiation and, consequently, its long-term effects. Some principles involved in establishing control programs dealing with low-level radiation are examined, especially the relation between radiation dose and biological effects. The existence or nonexistence of a threshold dose is considered, and it is concluded that there is no level of radiation exposure below which there can be absolute certainty that harmful effects will not occur to at least a fewindividuals when sufficiently large numbers of people are exposed. Coordination of federal, state, and local efforts to deal with radiological health problems as a major responsibility of the Public Health Service's Division of Radiological Health is discussed. (BBB)

• Research Organization: Public Health Service, Washington, D.C.
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• NSA Number: NSA-18-018068
• OSTI ID: 4032393
• Journal Information: American Journal of Public Health, Supplement (U.S.), Journal Name: American Journal of Public Health, Supplement (U.S.) Vol. Vol: 54; ISSN AJHSA
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ACCIDENTS
BIOLOGY
CONTAMINATION
CONTROL
ENVIRONMENT
FALLOUT
HEALTH AND SAFETY
IRRADIATION
NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS
PERSONNEL
POPULATIONS
RADIATION DOSES
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATION PROTECTION
SAFETY
USA