Introduction to Public Health

Public Health Definition

• Public health is the science and practice of protecting and improving the health of people and their communities
• Public health focuses on population health, rather than individual health
• The multidisciplinary approach of public health involves various professions
• Key aspects entail prevention of disease and injury, promotion of healthy behaviors, and protection from environmental hazards

Scope of Public Health

• Public health addresses a wide scope of health issues
• Examples of issues addressed are infectious diseases, chronic diseases, environmental health, mental health, injury prevention, health equity and social determinants of health
• Public health operates at local, national, and global levels
• Collaboration between government, academia, and private sectors is required for Public Health

Core Functions of Public Health

• Assessment involves monitoring community health status and identifying health problems
• Policy Development is creating and implementing health policies and plans
• Assurance means ensuring access to necessary health services and enforcing health regulations

Essential Public Health Services

• Essential services include assessing and monitoring population health
• Investigating, diagnosing, and addressing health hazards and root causes
• Communicating effectively to inform and educate
• Strengthening, supporting, and mobilizing communities and partnerships
• Creating, championing, and implementing policies, plans, and laws
• Utilizing legal and regulatory actions
• Enabling equitable access to care
• Building a diverse and skilled workforce
• Improving and innovating through evaluation, research, and quality improvement
• Building and maintaining a strong organizational infrastructure for public health

Public Health Model vs. Medical Model

• The Public Health Model focuses on population health, with an approach of prevention and health promotion
• The setting for the Public Health Model is communities and populations, with a timeframe of long-term outcomes
• The Medical Model focuses on individual patient care and uses diagnosis and treatment approaches
• The setting for the Medical Model is hospitals and clinics, with a timeframe of immediate health outcomes

Assessment Methods in Public Health

• Assessment in public health is the systematic collection, analysis, and interpretation of health-related data
• The purpose of assessment is to identify public health problems, set priorities for action, and evaluate the effectiveness of interventions
• Assessment is cyclical in nature and involves continuous assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation

Types of Public Health Assessments

• Community Health Assessments
• Health Impact Assessments
• Environmental Health Assessments
• Needs Assessments
• Risk Assessments
• Health Equity Impact Assessments
• Surveillance Systems

Data Sources for Public Health Assessments

• Primary data refers to surveys, interviews, focus groups, biomarkers, and clinical measurements
• Secondary data refers to vital statistics, disease registries, national health surveys, electronic health records, and claims data

Concept of Health

• The World Health Organization (WHO) definition of health (1948): "Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity."
• It has a holistic approach and includes mental and social aspects
• It emphasizes positive health, not just the absence of disease
• A limitation is that "complete" well-being may be unrealistic, and it doesn't account for changing health states over time

Social Determinants of Health

• Conditions in the environments where people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship, and age that affect health outcomes
• Key domains include economic stability, education access and quality, health care access and quality, neighborhood and built environment, and social and community context
• They account for about 80% of health outcomes

Health Equity

• Health equity is the state in which everyone has a fair and just opportunity to attain their highest level of health
• Key aspects encompass addressing systemic and structural barriers to health, recognizing and rectifying historical injustices, ensuring equitable distribution of resources and opportunities, and promoting cultural competence and humility in health care
• Central to achieving optimal health for all populations

Modern Public Health Definition

• Public health promotes and protects the health of people and the communities where they live, learn, work and play per the Healthy People 2030 definition
• It focuses on collective action and shared responsibility
• Emphasis on populations and communities, health promotion, protection, and disease prevention as well as recognizing multiple factors influencing health

Key Terms in Public Health

• Epidemiology is the study of the distribution and determinants of health-related states or events in specified populations, and the application of this study to control health problems
• Epidemiology key concepts are incidence and prevalence, risk factors and causation, study designs, and measures of association
• Provides evidence base for public health interventions
• Health Promotion Definition, per the WHO Ottawa Charter (1986): "The process of enabling people to increase control over, and to improve, their health"

Key Strategies for Health Promotion

• Build healthy public policy
• Create supportive environments
• Strengthen community action
• Develop personal skills
• Reorient health services
• It empowers individuals and communities to take control of their health

Global Health

• Global Health definition: "An area for study, research, and practice that places a priority on improving health and achieving equity in health for all people worldwide"
• Key features include transnational health issues and solutions, emphasis on health equity and social justice, interdisciplinary collaboration, and population-based prevention
• Addresses health challenges that transcend national boundaries

Conclusion and Future Directions

• Public health is crucial for improving population health and well-being
• It is a multidisciplinary approach addressing various health determinants
• Emerging challenges include climate change and health, digital health and data privacy, health misinformation, and preparing for future pandemics
• Future directions include increased focus on health equity, integration of technology and big data, emphasis on community engagement and participatory approaches, and strengthening global health security