Public health of old people in the 20th century

Abstract

Public health is social movement most developed during the 20th century. Its aim is promotion and conservation of population's health. Serbia has strong tradition in health care for its population, beginning from the middle age, when Serbian middle age state existed. The tradition continues in the 20th century, after obtaining independence, when great number of rules and laws regarding to population's health care was brought. In the beginning of the 20th century wide social movement appears, aimed to health care for Serbian population, living in hard conditions. After the First World War, being aware of the importance of population's health conservation, important institutions for people's health were founded: Ministry of public health, Medical school in Belgrade, Central hygiene institute and many health institutions. Between 1920th and 1941. Health service in Serbia had series of lacks, most in relation between preventive and curative medicine. The Second World War Leeds to destruction of health system in Serbia, and the consequence is unfavourable hygiene - epidemic situation. In afterward period new public health institutions are built, medical staff is educated, new health insurance is found, laws on health care organization are brought, principles of active health care are applied, that developed one of the best health care systems. Health services are offered both to older and other citizens, but old persons, as especially vulnerable group, had priority in health care programs. In the last decade of the 20th century, because of war surrounding, sanctions and NATO aggression, Serbian population's health was threatened again, but after 2000. In Serbia begun significant changes in leading of public health measurements.

Javno zdravlje je društveni pokret koji je najviše razvijen tokom XX veka. Njegov cilj je unapređenje i očuvanje zdravlja naroda. Srbija ima jaku tradiciju u brizi za zdravlje svog stanovništva, počev od srednjeg veka, u doba srpske srednjovekovne države. Ta tradicija je nastavljena u XIX veku, nakon sticanja nezavisnosti, kada je donet niz propisa i zakona koji su se odnosili na očuvanje zdravlja naroda. Na samom početku XX veka javlja se širok društveni pokret usmeren ka zdravlju srpskog naroda, koji živi u teškim životnim uslovima. Posle Prvog svetskog rata, uviđajući značaj očuvanja zdravlja naroda, u Srbiji se osnivaju važne institucije od značaja za zdravlje naroda: Ministarstvo narodnog zdravlja, Medicinski fakultet u Beogradu, Centralni higijenski zavod, mnoge zdravstvene ustanove. U periodu 1920-1941. godine zdravstvena služba u Srbiji ima i niz slabosti, prvenstveno u odnosu preventivne i kurativne medicine. Drugi svetski rat dovodi i do razaranja zdravstvenog sistema u Srbiji, a posledice su izražene i nepovoljnom higijensko - epidemiološkom situacijom. U posleratnom periodu izgrađuju se nove zdravstvene ustanove i ustanove za javno zdravlje, školuju medicinski kadrovi, osniva novo zdravstveno osiguranje, donose odgovarajući zakoni o organizaciji zdravstvene službe, primenjuje princip aktivne zdravstvene zaštite i dispanzerizacije, čime se razvija jedan od najoptimalnijih sistema zdravstvene zaštite. Zdravstvene usluge starijima pružane su, ravnopravno sa ostalim stanovnicima, pri čemu su starija lica, kao posebna vulnerabilna grupa, imala prioritet u programima zdravstvene zaštite stanovništva. U poslednjoj deceniji XX veka, zbog ratnog okruženja, sankcija i agresije NATO na Srbiju, ponovo je bilo ugroženo zdravlje srpskog naroda, ali su posle 2000. godine u Srbiji nastale značajne promene u sprovođenju mera javnog zdravlja.