What is Public Health? Public health plays a very important role in protecting, promoting, and maintaining the health of entire communities. These communities may be as small as your neighborhood, or as large as the whole country. In order to best protect your health, public health agencies fulfill many functions including: - Assessing community health needs
- Developing and putting health education programs into action
- Providing health services, like vaccinations and screenings
- Developing policies and regulations that impact health
- Conducting research on a range of different health topics
Many of public health's duties are health issues we face in everyday life-like protecting the drinking water, or ensuring the safety of food at local restaurants. Public Health also has a role in areas like dental health, preventing injuries, preparing for emergencies and disasters, monitoring the leading causes of death, and preventing the spread of disease. Our role is different than that of other health professionals because public health centers on prevention, while the medical community usually focuses on care for those who are already sick. Public Health is dedicated to the mission of improving health through many community activities.The Ten Essential functions of Public Health describe many of the key functions that state and local health departments are engaged in. Key Events in the History of Public Health The Romans: As far back as the Roman Empire, some 2,000 years ago, people learned that for their cities to remain clean and safe, they would need to find a sanitary way to get rid of their waste. In response to this need, Romans built miles of drainpipes that emptied into the Tiber River. Once put into the river, waste would flow out to sea. This became one of the first sewer systems The Black Plague: When the Black Plague struck Europe in the 14th century, millions of people died. The Black Plague was an epidemic of bubonic plague estimated to have wiped out one-third of the population of Europe. Since people lived very close together, the plague spread easily from person to person. Officials discovered that the illness was actually spread by fleas living on the city's rats. Once bitten by infected rats, the disease was passed on to humans. This discovery marked the first understanding of how animals can contribute to the spread of disease. Cholera outbreak and John Snow: An epidemic of Cholera struck Britain in the 1850's. Many people became sick, and no one could explain what was causing this widespread illness. A physician named John Snow decided to make a map that showed where each person who became ill lived. He found that people who had become ill got their water from the same source. Once the handle from the water pump was removed, the epidemic ended. This breakthrough made Snow one of the first in the field of epidemiology, a science that studies the cause, spread, and control of disease. Impact of Public Health Public health has played key roles in the increase in life expectancy and worldwide decrease of infant and child mortality. The CDC reports that life expectancy is at an all time high, and the average life expectancy is now 30 years longer than it was at the beginning of the century. Public health has made dramatic strides in improving community health. Many of the most important contributions ensure that our daily lives are safe. These include * - Car Safety
- Control of Diseases
- Family planning and contraception
- Fluoridation of drinking water
- Identifying tobacco as a health hazard
- Improving the health of mothers and babies
- Reducing deaths from heart disease and stroke
- Safer and healthier foods
- Safer workplaces
- Vaccinations (shots)
*Information adopted from CDC MMWR report Structure of Public Health Public health is generally comprised of health departments at the state and local levels. Nationally, each state has several local health departments and one state agency. Both the local and state agencies provide care and services to the community. One main purpose of the national structure is for the purpose of disease surveillance. A doctor or laboratory is required by law in most states to notify the local health department when cases of certain diseases are identified. The local health department then sends this information to the state health department. Each week, the state health department takes the information received from each of the state's local health departments and sends it to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The CDC then uses this data to compile national health statistics and make national health recommendations. This "chain of reporting" is known as the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System. Doctors and Labs --> Local Health Departments --> State Health Department --> CDC Public Health Code of Ethics: The Public Health Community abides by the Public Health Code of Ethics. This code of ethics states key principles of the ethical practice of public health, and serves as a guide to professionals in the field. This code helps to build healthy community relationships. It serves to guide in maintaining the trust of the community and making sure that everyone's culture, beliefs, and values are respected. Public Health Links and Resources
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