Introduction to Public Health PDF

Introduction to Public Health ​ Public Health: The science and practice of preventing disease, prolonging life, and promoting health through organized efforts of society. ​ Global Health: Health issues that transcend national boundaries and require international cooperation (e.g., pan...

Introduction to Public Health ​ Public Health: The science and practice of preventing disease, prolonging life, and promoting health through organized efforts of society. ​ Global Health: Health issues that transcend national boundaries and require international cooperation (e.g., pandemics, climate change). ​ Health Impact Pyramid: ○​ Socioeconomic Factors (e.g., poverty alleviation) ○​ Changing the Context to Make Healthy Decisions Easy (e.g., fluoridation of water) ○​ Long-lasting Protective Interventions (e.g., vaccines) ○​ Clinical Interventions (e.g., treatment for hypertension) ○​ Counseling & Education (e.g., smoking cessation programs) ​ Core Functions of Public Health: ○​ Assessment (monitoring health, diagnosing health issues) ○​ Policy Development (informing policies, mobilizing partnerships) ○​ Assurance (enforcing laws, ensuring competent workforce) ​ BIG GEMS Model (Determinants of Disease): ○​ Behavior (smoking, diet) ○​ Infection (HIV, TB) ○​ Genetics (family history) ○​ Geography (malaria risk in tropical areas) ○​ Environment (pollution, housing conditions) ○​ Medical care (access to healthcare) ○​ Socioeconomic-cultural factors (education, income) History of Public Health ​ Social Ecological Model of Health: Explains how individual, interpersonal, organizational, community, and societal factors influence health. ​ Key Figures in Public Health History: 1.​ John Snow (cholera & epidemiology) 2.​ Edward Jenner (smallpox vaccine) 3.​ Florence Nightingale (sanitation and nursing) ​ Eras of Public Health: 1.​ Health Protection Era (Antiquity-1830s): Religious and cultural beliefs, quarantine. 2.​ Hygiene Movement (1840-1870s): Sanitation, miasma theory. 3.​ Contagion Control (1880-1940s): Germ theory, vaccines. 4.​ Preventive Medicine (1950s-mid 1980s): Screening, lifestyle changes. 5.​ Health Promotion (Mid-1980s-2000s): Behavior change, policies.  6.​ Population Health (2000s-present): Holistic, global approaches. Social & Behavioral Sciences and Public Health ​ Social Determinants of Health (SDOH): Conditions where people live, learn, work, and play that affect health. ○​ Economic stability, education, healthcare access, environment, social context. ​ Health Equity vs. Health Equality: ○​ Equality: Everyone gets the same resources. ○​ Equity: Resources are distributed based on individual needs to ensure fairness. ​ Health Disparities: Differences in health outcomes among different groups due to socioeconomic, racial, or geographical factors. ​ Factors Contributing to Health Disparities: ○​ Access to healthcare, discrimination, socioeconomic status, education, cultural differences. Health Theories ​ Health Belief Model: ○​ Perceived susceptibility, severity, benefits, barriers, cues to action, self-efficacy. ​ Social Cognitive Theory: ○​ Reciprocal determinism, observational learning, self-efficacy, reinforcement. ​ Transtheoretical Model (Stages of Change): ○​ Precontemplation → Contemplation → Preparation → Action → Maintenance. ​ Intersectionality Theory: ○​ Examines how overlapping social identities (e.g., race, gender, socioeconomic status) create unique health experiences. Health Law, Policy, and Ethics ​ Entities Guiding PH Law: ○​ Federal (CDC, FDA), state, local governments, interstate commerce clause, police power, individual rights. ​ Health Policy: Laws and regulations that influence public health. ​ Market vs. Social Justice: ○​ Market Justice: Healthcare as an individual responsibility. ○​ Social Justice: Healthcare as a fundamental right. ​ Institutional Review Board (IRB): Ethics committee overseeing human research. ​ Belmont Report Principles:  ○​ Respect for Persons (informed consent) ○​ Beneficence (do no harm) ○​ Justice (fair treatment) ​ Nuremberg Code: Ethical principles for human experimentation (informed consent, risk minimization). ​ Reason for Belmont Report Development: Response to unethical research (e.g., Tuskegee Syphilis Study). Evidence-Based Public Health ​ PERIE Approach: ○​ Problem (P) - Define the issue. ○​ Etiology (E) - Determine causes. ○​ Recommendations (R) - Identify interventions. ○​ Implementation (I) - Apply interventions. ○​ Evaluation (E) - Assess effectiveness. ​ Establishing Cause of Disease: ○​ Association, temporality, dose-response, biological plausibility. ​ Prevention Levels: ○​ Primary: Prevent disease (vaccines, education). ○​ Secondary: Early detection (screenings). ○​ Tertiary: Reduce impact (rehab, treatment). ​ Study Types: ○​ Case-Control: Compare diseased vs. non-diseased individuals. ○​ Cohort: Follow people over time to see who develops disease. ○​ Randomized Controlled Trial: Experimental treatment comparison. ○​ Cross-sectional: Snapshot in time. Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) ​ Prevalence in U.S.: Leading causes of death (heart disease, cancer). ​ Common Types: Cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer. ​ Risk Factors: ○​ Modifiable: Smoking, diet, physical activity. ○​ Non-modifiable: Age, genetics. ​ Screening Criteria: ○​ Disease must be serious, detectable early, have effective treatment. Communicable Disease & Vaccines ​ Reasons for Disease Resurgence: ○​ Vaccine hesitancy, global travel, antibiotic resistance. ​ Modes of Transmission: ○​ Direct (person-to-person), indirect (contaminated surfaces), vector-borne (mosquitoes). ​ Disease Classification: ○​ Endemic: Regularly occurring (flu). ○​ Epidemic: Increased occurrence (Ebola). ○​ Pandemic: Global spread (COVID-19). ○​ Sporadic: Occasional cases. ​ Burden of Disease Measures: ○​ Morbidity: Disease presence. ○​ Mortality: Death rates. ○​ Incidence: New cases. ○​ Prevalence: Total cases. ○​ High incidence, low prevalence → High mortality or quick recovery. ​ Public Health Surveillance: ○​ Data collection via hospitals, labs, population surveys. ​ Primary Prevention of CDs: ○​ Education, vaccination. ​ Vaccines in the Health Impact Pyramid: ○​ Long-lasting protective intervention. ​ How Vaccines Protect Public Health: ○​ Herd immunity: Reduces overall disease spread.