Introduction to Public Health-1 PDF

Introduction to Public health-1 Dr. Lara M. Al-Natour The Hashemeite University. Faculty of Medicine Dep. Of Pharmacology and Public health [email protected] [email protected] Office number: 1012 Outlines Health Disease Public Health Epidemiology Medicine PH vs. Medicin...

Introduction to Public health-1 Dr. Lara M. Al-Natour The Hashemeite University. Faculty of Medicine Dep. Of Pharmacology and Public health [email protected] [email protected] Office number: 1012 Outlines Health Disease Public Health Epidemiology Medicine PH vs. Medicine Alma-Ata declaration Natural History of Disease Epidemiological Iceberg Key Terms Health There is no single definition of health Standard definition: absence of disease WHO definition: “physical, mental, and social & spiritual well- being” [not merely the absence of disease]  Physical: Every cell & organ in the body is functioning at optimum capacity & in harmony with the rest of other organs. Social: Sound relationships with friends, family & the community as a whole.  Spiritual:  Maintaining the relationship with ALLAH  Having spiritual direction & purpose.  Living according to one’s ethics, morals, & values. Mental:  Ability to recognize reality & cope with the demands of daily life.  Sound thinking, taking decision, self esteem & dealing with conflicts. Disease Disease: Any deviation from the normal health state that is manifested by a characteristic set of symptoms & signs and whose etiology, pathology, and prognosis may be known or unknown. Public Health Definitions of public health: organized effort reduction of morbidity & mortality improvements in health  Public Health competency disciplines include: epidemiology biostatistics health administration behavioral environmental health science health economics health policy School Health Maternal and child health (MCH) Control of communicable and non-communicable diseases. occupational health, are other important subfields. Epidemiology Modern definitions of epidemiology refer to: distributions in populations (statistical) determinants of health and disease (pathophysiological, environmental, behavioral) control of health problems (biological, social, economic, political, administrative, legal) Medicine Medicine: is a branch of science concerned with prevention of diseases & the maintenance of good health, diagnosis of diseases and treatment. It has 2 main branches: Preventive Curative Epidemiology VS. ….. Epi compared to medicine: Main unit of concern in epi: population Main unit of concern in medicine: individual  Epi compared to public health: Epidemiology: “study of” Public health: “organized effort” Epi is “methodologic backbone” of public health Public Health How does public health differ from other branches of Medicine? Public health reaches out to people : to provide services for the prevention of disease (such as immunization, pre-natal care, health screening, etc.). promotion of health (such as safe water supply and sanitation, vector control measures, tobacco control policy, etc.) provision of primary medical care (treatment of common health problems such as diarrhea, pneumonia, malaria, hypertension, etc.) Whereas other branches of medicine largely provide diagnostic and treatment services to patients who seek treatment. The concept of health care approach has experienced a dramatic change. Today health is not merely an absence of disease; it is related to quality of life. Health is considered a means of productivity. Thus, health development is essential to socio-economic development as a whole. The scope of medicine has extended from individual to community. Study of health and disease in the population is replacing the study of disease in man. Modern medicine is no longer solely an art and science for the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. It is also the science for the prevention of disease and promotion of health. EX. Appropriate technology and cheaper interventions like Oral Rehydration Solutions (ORS), immunization, etc., are increasingly being applied as life-saving measures and for disease prevention in community health care. Physicians’ role is no longer confined to diagnosing and treating those who come to the clinic. He is also responsible for those who need his service but can not come to the clinic. The health of the people is not only the concern of health care providers. It is the responsibility of the community also to identify and solve their own health problems through their active participation. The new ideas and concepts, for example: increasing importance given to social justice and equity, recognition of the crucial role of community participation called for new approaches to make medicine in the service of humanity more effective. Alma-Ata declaration in 1978 specified that Primary Health Care approach was the way of achieving the goal of” Health For All “by 2000 AD. Alma-Ata declaration Primary Health Care (PHC) approach stresses that “essential health care should be made universally accessible to individuals and acceptable to them, through their full participation and at a cost the community and the country can afford”. PHC , essential accessible acceptable affordable full participation. Natural History of Disease Progression of disease in an individual over time, in the absence of intervention. History of disease is a key concept in epidemiology. Epidemiological Iceberg Only the tip of the iceberg may be detectable “Dog bite” example 3.73 million dog bites annually 451,000 medically treated 334,000 emergency room visits 13,360 hospitalizations 20 deaths Key Terms Morbidity = related to disease or disability Mortality = related to death Endemic = normal occurrence of a condition Epidemic = much greater than normal occurrence of a condition Pandemic = an epidemic on multiple continents Incidence = rate or risk of developing a condition Prevalence = proportion of population with a condition Thank you 