Why did public health reformers focus on malnutrition, tuberculosis, and workplace hazards in poor communities?

Public health reformers focused on malnutrition, tuberculosis, and workplace hazards because these issues were rampant in the slums of the 19th and 20th centuries, where environmental sanitation efforts alone proved insufficient to protect the health of the poor.1

By the turn of the 20th century, it became clear that economic liberalism—which assumed that increased production would naturally end poverty and suffering—was failing to address the widespread health crises in these communities. Reformers, including physicians, social workers, and government officials, recognized that deliberate, positive social intervention was necessary to improve community well-being.1

Their efforts were driven by the following factors:
* Tuberculosis: As a major infectious disease, it was targeted through organized social action to curb its spread in crowded, unsanitary living conditions.1
* Workplace Hazards: The Industrial Revolution introduced dangerous machinery and toxic materials, leading to high rates of accidents and occupational diseases. Reformers sought to protect workers from these risks and adapt work environments to human physiological needs.23
* Malnutrition: Often linked to poverty, it was recognized as a critical factor that weakened individuals and compounded the impact of other diseases.134