Essential Public Health Services

Introduction to Essential Public Health Services

• Essential Public Health Services (EPHS) provide a framework for public health practice.
• The services describe key activities that all communities should undertake.
• They align with these core public health functions: assessment, policy development, and assurance.

Overview of the 10 Essential Public Health Services

• Essential Public Health Services include:
• Assessment: Monitor and evaluate population health status, needs, and assets.
• Investigation: Identify, analyze, and address health problems and hazards.
• Communication: Educate and inform the public about health issues and prevention.
• Community Engagement: Build partnerships and mobilize community action for health.
• Policy Development: Create and advocate for policies and plans that support health.
• Enforcement: Implement and enforce public health laws and regulations.
• Access: Ensure equitable access to health services and resources.
• Workforce: Develop and maintain a skilled, diverse public health workforce.
• Improvement: Evaluate and innovate public health practices through research.
• Infrastructure: Maintain a robust organizational structure for public health operations.

Essential Service 1: Assessment

• Assessment involves monitoring population health status, factors influencing health, and community needs.
• Key activities include conducting community health assessments.
• Also involves collecting/analyzing health data and identifying health priorities/disparities.
• Assessment utilizes tools like surveys, epidemiological studies, and health informatics systems.

Essential Service 2: Investigation and Diagnosis

• Investigation and diagnosis involves investigating, diagnosing, and addressing health problems and hazards affecting the population.
• Key activities include:
  • Detecting and responding to disease outbreaks.
  • Identifying environmental health hazards.
  • Conducting root cause analyses of health issues.
• COVID-19 contact tracing is an Example.

Essential Service 3: Communication and Education

• Communication and education effectively informs and educates people about health, factors influencing it, etc.
• Key activities include developing health education campaigns.
• Also involves providing accurate/timely health information and tailoring messages for diverse audiences.
• Anti-smoking campaigns and nutrition education programs are both examples.

Essential Service 4: Community Partnerships

• Community partnerships strengthens, supports, and mobilizes communities and partnerships to improve health.
• Key activities include building coalitions with community organizations.
• Involves engaging diverse stakeholders in health initiatives.
• Also involves fostering community leadership in health.
• Community-based participatory research projects are an example.

Essential Service 5: Policy and Planning

• Policy and planning creates, champions, and implements policies, plans, and laws that impact health.
• Key activities include developing health improvement plans.
• Also involves advocating for health-promoting policies.
• Assessing health impacts of proposed policies and plans is a key activity. Implementing smoke-free workplace laws are an example.

Essential Service 6: Legal and Regulatory Actions

• Legal and regulatory actions utilizes legal and regulatory actions designed to improve and protect the public's health.
• Key activities include:
  • Enforcing public health laws and regulations.
  • Reviewing and revising health codes.
  • Educating about compliance with health laws.
• Food safety inspections and vaccination requirements are examples.

Essential Service 7: Access to Care

• Access to Care assures an effective system that enables equitable access to individual services and care.
• Key activities include identifying and addressing barriers to healthcare access.
• Also involves coordinating with healthcare providers and systems.
• Promoting culturally competent care is a key activity.
• Establishing community health centers in underserved areas is an example.

Essential Service 8: Workforce

• Workforce builds and supports a diverse and skilled public health workforce.
• Key activities include:
  • Recruiting and retaining qualified public health professionals.
  • Providing ongoing training and professional development.
  • Promoting diversity and inclusion in the workforce.
• An example is public health leadership development programs.

Essential Service 9: Evaluation and Innovation

• Evaluation and innovation improves and innovates public health functions through ongoing evaluation, research, and continuous quality improvement.
• Key activities include:
  • Conducting program evaluations.
  • Applying evidence-based practices.
  • Fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
• Implementing quality improvement projects in health departments is an example.

Essential Service 10: Organizational Capacity

• Organizational capacity builds and maintains a strong organizational infrastructure for public health.
• Key activities include ensuring adequate funding for public health activities.
• Developing effective leadership and governance structures are key activities.
• Also involves maintaining necessary technologies and information systems.
• Achieving public health accreditation is an example.

Importance of Community Engagement

• Community engagement is deemed crucial for effective public health practice.
• Benefits include:
  • Better understanding of community needs and assets.
  • Increased trust between public health agencies and communities.
  • More effective and sustainable public health interventions.
  • Empowerment of community members in health decision-making.

Partnerships in Public Health

• Partnerships enhance the reach and effectiveness of public health efforts.
• Types of partnerships include:
  • Intersectoral (health, education).
  • Public-private partnerships.
  • Academic-community partnerships.
  • International collaborations.
• Benefits include resource sharing and diverse expertise.

Application Example: Tobacco Control

• Assessment: It involves monitoring smoking rates and health impacts.
• Communication: Anti-smoking education campaigns.
• Policy: Implementing smoke-free laws and tobacco taxes.
• Partnerships: Collaboration with schools and businesses for smoke-free environments.
• Regulation: Enforcing age restrictions on tobacco sales.
• Evaluation: Assessing the impact of tobacco control measures.

Application Example: Obesity Prevention

• Assessment: Involves tracking obesity rates and related health indicators.
• Communication: Promotes healthy eating and active living.
• Community Engagement: Developing community gardens and walking groups.
• Policy: Implementing menu labeling laws and sugary drink taxes.
• Access to Care: Providing nutrition counseling and weight management programs.
• Evaluation: Measuring the effectiveness of obesity prevention initiatives.

Application Example: Environmental Health

• Investigation: Involves identifying sources of air and water pollution.
• Policy: Developing regulations for emissions and water quality.
• Partnerships: Collaborating with industries for cleaner production methods.
• Communication: Educating the public about environmental health risks.
• Workforce: Training environmental health specialists.
• Legal Actions: Enforcing environmental protection laws.

Application Example: Infectious Disease Control

• Assessment: Conducting disease surveillance and outbreak detection.
• Investigation: Performing contact tracing and identifying disease sources.
• Communication: Providing timely and accurate information.
• Partnerships: Collaborating with healthcare providers and international health organizations.
• Access to Care: Ensuring the availability of vaccines and treatments.
• Workforce: Training epidemiologists and public health laboratory staff.

Conclusion, Future Directions

• Essential services provide a comprehensive framework for public health practice.
• Continuous adaptation is necessary to address evolving health challenges.
• This includes focusing on:
  • Health equity and social determinants of health.
  • Integration of technology and big data in public health.
  • Preparedness for global health threats.
• Ongoing commitment to community engagement and partnerships is crucial.
• Public health professionals must be adaptable and innovative to meet future challenges.