Module Activity One 16 Jennifer L. Callahan Dr. Frank Fan HSA-5125 September 2, 2018 Module 1 Activity Defining Health and Identifying Human Health Determinates The definition of Health can and has been controversial. Some definitions are much looser in clarity than others. Most individuals define Health simply by stating that Health is the sum of injury or illness in one’s life. While this is a factor in overall Health, there is a much clear and reputable definition of what Health truly is. The World Health Organization defines Health as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity (WHO, 1946). Because health is multifaceted, it is necessary to define and identify what the human health determinates are. Health determinants are a range of personal, social, economic, and environmental factors that influence health (HHS 2014a). Decades of research, studies, and evaluations have evolved our basic understanding of determinants from four major influences to a much more comprehensive list. The original four influences included: environment, lifestyle, heredity, and medical care. Healthy People 2020 (www.healthypeople.gov), the national agenda for improving health, provides six major influences today which include: biology, behaviors, social environment, physical environment, public and private-sector programs and interventions, and quality health services. Defining Public and Health Policy There are two sectors in which health policy applies. Those sectors include the public (government) sector and the private sector. Policies exist to carry out behaviors, actions, and decisions. Policies guide an organization and its employee’s in how to behave, conduct business, and to achieve organizational goals. Executive staff, and those appointed by them, carry the authority to establish or modify policies as needed to ensure the organization is fulfilling the expectations and functioning within laws and regulations. Public Policy is generally defined as the sum of government activities, whether acting directly or through agents, as those activities have an influence on the lives of citizens (Peters, 2013). Health Policy is a specific version of public policy. The difference between private and public health policy is the primary focus. Policy that specifically focus on health or influences action aimed at health are referred to as health policy rather than public policy. Forms of Health Policy Health policies are categorized into four different forms which include: law, rules or regulations, other implementation decision, and judicial decisions. Policy laws are enacted at all levels of government. Laws typically drive extensive activity and effort from entities across the board and seek long-term implementation. In February 2017, Senate introduced the Childhood Cancer STAR act (S.292). This bill was an amendment to the Public Health Service Act and authorizes the Nati ...

1. Module Activity One 16
Jennifer L. Callahan
Dr. Frank Fan
HSA-5125
September 2, 2018
Module 1 Activity
Defining Health and Identifying Human Health Determinates
The definition of Health can and has been controversial. Some
definitions are much looser in clarity than others. Most
individuals define Health simply by stating that Health is the
sum of injury or illness in one’s life. While this is a factor in
overall Health, there is a much clear and reputable definition of
what Health truly is. The World Health Organization defines
Health as a state of complete physical, mental and social well -
being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity (WHO,

2. 1946).
Because health is multifaceted, it is necessary to define and
identify what the human health determinates are. Health
determinants are a range of personal, social, economic, and
environmental factors that influence health (HHS 2014a).
Decades of research, studies, and evaluations have evolved our
basic understanding of determinants from four major influences
to a much more comprehensive list. The original four influences
included: environment, lifestyle, heredity, and medical care.
Healthy People 2020 (www.healthypeople.gov), the national
agenda for improving health, provides six major influences
today which include: biology, behaviors, social environment,
physical environment, public and private-sector programs and
interventions, and quality health services.
Defining Public and Health Policy
There are two sectors in which health policy applies. Those
sectors include the public (government) sector and the private
sector. Policies exist to carry out behaviors, actions, and
decisions. Policies guide an organizati on and its employee’s in
how to behave, conduct business, and to achieve organizational
goals. Executive staff, and those appointed by them, carry the
authority to establish or modify policies as needed to ensure the
organization is fulfilling the expectations and functioning
within laws and regulations.
Public Policy is generally defined as the sum of government
activities, whether acting directly or through agents, as those
activities have an influence on the lives of citizens (Peters,
2013). Health Policy is a specific version of public policy. The
difference between private and public health policy is the
primary focus. Policy that specifically focus on health or
influences action aimed at health are referred to as health policy
rather than public policy.
Forms of Health Policy
Health policies are categorized into four different forms

3. which include: law, rules or regulations, other implementation
decision, and judicial decisions. Policy laws are enacted at all
levels of government. Laws typically drive extensive activity
and effort from entities across the board and seek long-term
implementation. In February 2017, Senate introduced the
Childhood Cancer STAR act (S.292). This bill was an
amendment to the Public Health Service Act and authorizes the
National Institutes of Health (NIH) to provide support in
collecting medical specimen’s and information of children and
young adults whom have cancers with the least effective
treatments. The amendment aims at better understanding these
forms of cancers and the effects of their treatment. Further, this
amendment establishes grants and registries through 2022 with
the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), establishes support
programs and task forces through The Department of Health and
Human Services (HHS) and mandates Psychosocial care for
Pediatric Cancer Survivors, and requires the Government
Accountability Office make recommendations regarding
financial barriers cancer survivors encounter
(www.congress.gov, 2018).
Law implementing administrative agencies are taxed with policy
development known as rules or regulations. Administrative
agencies are deeply empowered with producing, facilitating, and
distributing rules and regulations they are authorized to handle
and those of which are deemed necessary. Administrativ e
agencies are official government bodies and can also be
categorized into a multitude of bodies including: boards,
commissions, agencies, divisions, corporations, and
departments. July 30, 2018, the Office of the Assistant
Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, DOD published an
information collection notice in relation to the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995. The DOD and the Office of the
Secretary are seeking to collect information from the public
regarding the necessity of information collected and how it
relates to the proper performance of the agency’s primary
function’s. The feedback solicited includes topics such as

4. enhancement opportunities, clarification of information
collection, and reduction of burden in the information collection
process (www.federalregister.gov, 2018). Currently, this rule is
still in process but is set to be heard after public feedback
collection closes on September 28, 2018. A rule or regulation
will be implemented following review of the publics input.
Implementation decisions are policy and are frequently
instituted by executive branch organizations and agencies that
are tasked with carrying out the implementation of laws and
rules or regulations. This form of health policy receives laws
and rules or regulations and works to implement them
nationwide. The process of implementation often requires
evaluation and decision making regarding the best approach to
ensure successful implementation. This process results in the
implementation decision form of health policy. In October 2017,
The Food and Drug Administration implemented a Generic Drug
User Fee Amendment. This implementation began October 1,
2017 and spans through September 30, 2022. The amendment
creates consistent access to high quality and safe generic drugs
and drug products and details an implementation plan
(www.fda.gov, 2018).
Judicial decision health policy comes from the court system.
Inevitably, an issue will arise between healthcare providers,
their organizations, the government, and any multitude of
agencies in between. When an issue arises that is related to a
law, rule or regulation, or implementation decision, a court
action or suit can be filed. Judicial decisions make decision
impacting the standing of an afore mentioned healthy policy to
permanently resolve the concern presented. Judicial decisions
can take place within any level of the judicial system. In 2011,
Congress allowed a transfer of patent challenges and the forum
in which they are heard. This ruling moved patent challenging
from litigation in court to a board of appeals internally with the
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. This resulted in alleged

5. unfair overturns. A supreme court case was filed where the
plaintiff argued that the patent review process was unjust and
did not serve its purpose. The pharmaceutical industry agreed
with he plaintiff and onboarded their support arguing that the
patent review process allowed brand name drug makers to abuse
the patent system in maintaining their high prices. The Obama
administration defended that they were within their authority
legally when they modified the review process to allow more
broaden interpretation of patents. Subsequently, the supreme
court ruled that the inter partes review process will remain with
the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and not with the Circuit
Court although if one prefers, a case with the circuit courts can
still be filed (www.supremecourt.gov).
Compare and Contrast Health Policy Forms
Health policies take two categoric forms: allocative policies and
regulatory policies. Allocative policies provide benefit to a
distinct class of group of people or organization, usually at the
cost of others, and aims at achieving public objectives.
Allocative policies cater in the form of a subsidy, come with
federal funding, and most often benefit poverty-stricken
families, or those with a high identified financial need.
Essentially, allocative policies help bridge the gap in care for
those who cannot afford their needs independently. Examples
include Medicaid, food stamps, WIC, and government housing.
Regulatory policies exist as means to drive influence and often
triggers behavior, actions, and decisions as directed through
policy. Each level of government carries the authority to
establish regulatory policy and aim at achieving public
objective. Regulatory policy can be categorized five ways:
market-entry restriction, health services quality control, social
regulation, controls to preserve market, and health service
provider rate and price controls. Regulatory policy can often
overlap with allocative policy and ultimately directs the

6. involved entities, agencies, etc. into fulfilling the needs of the
public and to meet objects set forth by the government.
Works Cited
115th Congress. 2018. “Childhood Cancer Survivorship,
Treatment, Access, and Research Act of
2018.” Accessed September 2, 2018 at
https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-
bill/292?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22health+care%22%5
D%7D&r=1
Peters, B. G. 2013. American Public Policy: Promise and
Performance, ninth edition. Thousand Oaks, CA: CQ Press.
The Federal Register. 2018. “Proposed Collection; Comment
Request.” Accessed September 2,
2018 at
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2018/07/30/2018-
16237/proposed-collection-comment-request
The Food and Drug Administration. 2018. “Generic Drug User
Fee Amendments
Implementation Activities.” Accessed September 2, 2018 at
https://www.fda.gov/ForIndustry/UserFees/GenericDrugUserFee
s/ucm559570.htm
US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). 2014a.
“Healthy People 2020.” Accessed August 24, 2018 at
https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-
objectives/topic/social-determinants-of-health
World Health Organization. 1946. “Preamble to the Constitution
of the World Health

7. Organization.” Accessed August 24, 2018 at
http://www.who.int/about/mission/en/