Due to the explosion and fire at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, a huge quantity of radioactive iodine and caesium penetrated into the air. During the accident, emissions of iodine isotopes were noted, which pervaded into food, and then into the human body. The thyroid gland is extremely susceptible to the appearance of a dissolved isotope of iodine in the blood. The accident at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant caused a threat to the health of people around the world, and only competent and timely actions made it possible to prevent an epidemic of thyroid cancer among American citizens.
To avoid the thyroid cancer disease epidemy, in order to reduce the effects of exposure to isotopes, the American population was recommended to take potassium iodine medication. In order not to miss the onset of the disease, citizens of America were required to undergo thyroid ultrasound once a year. Oncologists were engaged in the selection of the most effective drugs for the prevention. Nurses had to notify the American population, contributing to the informatization of patients regarding the necessary measures to stop this threat to health.
The chief doctors had to organize the smooth operation of ultrasound rooms and regulate the flow of patients in the hospitals. With the help of the implications that were produced, it was possible to reduce the predicted jump in thyroid cancer cases (Drozd et al., 2018). Fewer cases of thyroid cancer were detected immediately a few years after the accident than would have been the case without active prevention with iodine medications (Drozd et al., 2018). In addition, regular mandatory ultrasound made it possible to identify patients faster and improve treatment prognoses. Thus, the adopted healthcare strategies made it possible to successfully combat the spread of such a serious consequence of a man-made disaster as thyroid cancer.
Reference
Drozd, V. M., Branovan, I., Shiglik, N., Biko, J., & Reiners, C. (2018). Thyroid cancer induction: Nitrates as independent risk factors or risk modulators after radiation exposure, with a focus on the Chernobyl accident. European Thyroid Journal, 7(2), 67-74.