U.S. Surgeon General David Satcher reviewed the public health reports he has issued during his four-year tenure in a speech yesterday at the Wilson School. Satcher, whose term ends Wednesday, is the top medical official in the U.S. government.
In his talk, titled "The Surgeon General Reports on Surgeon General's Reports," he reviewed the publications his office has issued during the four years he has spent as the nation's top physician.
During the speech he addressed obesity, which is the topic of his most recent report. Obesity, Satcher said, causes 300,000 deaths in the nation per year, compared to 430,000 deaths per year from smoking.
Obesity is becoming an increasing problem: Twice as many children are obese today as in 1980.
In an interview before his speech, Satcher stuck to his prepared themes, giving a smooth presentation that reflected his substantial experience as an administrator in government and academia.
Satcher said his top accomplishment as surgeon general was the publication of "Healthy People 2010," a 10-year plan setting nationwide heatlh goals.
The plan aims to eliminate health-care disparities between ethnic groups and to emphasize quality of life issues for the nation's growing elderly population.
Satcher said he is also proud of the variety of topics covered in his reports.
Surgeons general have communicated directly with the American people since 1964, when the first surgeon general's report alerted the nation to the health risks of smoking.
These reports have had a real impact on the nation's public health, Satcher said. Since the release of the smoking report, the national smoking rate has decreased by half, falling from 46 percent of the population to 23 percent.
Smoking has been a prominent public health issue for more than 30 years, but Satcher pointed out that he has used his office to focus attention on other issues that have been underappreciated, including mental health.
During his four years in office, he has issued three reports on mental health issues, including two on suicide prevention, he said.
"He really put mental health on the public health map," said Kit Delgado '01, who returned to campus to hear Satcher speak.
In his speech, Satcher also noted his differences with the Bush administration. He has taken political flack recently for releasing a report on sexual health, in which he criticized the "abstinence-only" sex education favored by the president and his conservative allies.
The evidence, Satcher said, does not show any benefit to abstinence-only education, but does support the contention that comprehensive sex education — including information about contraceptives and safe sex — helps to reduce the spread of sexually-transmitted diseases.
"I have all three — politics, religion and public health science," Satcher said. "But the surgeon general's reports contain only science."
Read More
David Zielenziger ’74, former ‘Prince’ chairman and lifelong journalist, passes away at 72
Kian PetlinFriends and colleagues remember former ‘Prince’ chairman David Zielenziger ’74, who passed away peacefully on May 20.
Friends and colleagues remember former ‘Prince’ chairman David Zielenziger ’74 who passed away peacefully on May 20.
Remembering Dorothea von Moltke, Labyrinth co-founder and local community builder
Lucia BrownDorothea von Moltke, widely considered the heart of Labyrinth Books, was remembered by friends and loved ones for her passions for language, literature, and local activism.
Dorothea von Moltke, widely considered the heart of Labyrinth Books, was remembered by friends and loved ones for her passions for language, literature, and local activism.
Cloister Inn to pause operations for the next 2–3 years, citing “hefty renovations”
Justus WilhoitCloister Inn, one of Princeton’s eating clubs, will pause operations for the next two to three years, due to “hefty renovations” to the club’s house.
Cloister Inn, one of Princeton’s eating clubs, will pause operations for the next two to three years, due to “hefty renovations” to the club’s house.