This document provides an introduction to public health, including definitions of key terms, objectives, and an overview of the core functions and disciplines. Public health refers to actions taken to promote health and prevent disease within a community. It aims to assess health status, develop policies, and assure services that protect the health of the population. Determinants of community health include physical, socio-cultural, behavioral, and organizational factors. The core functions are assessment, policy development, and assurance. Related disciplines include epidemiology, environmental health, and health policy and management.

1. Introduction to
Public Health
Definition & Philosophy
10/24/2023
Introduction
to
Public
Health

2. Session Objectives
-Define public health;
-Outline the factors that affect
the health of a given
community; and
-Outline the core functions of
public health.
10/24/2023
Introduction
to
Public
Health

3. What is Public Health?
•Public health refers to the
health status of a defined
group of people and the
governmental actions and
conditions to promote,
protect and preserve their
health.
10/24/2023
Introduction
to
Public
Health

4. Why “Public Health?”
The government has a unique
responsibility for promoting and
protecting the health of the
people, built on a constitutional,
theoretical, and practical
foundation.”
10/24/2023
Introduction
to
Public
Health

5. Community Health
•Community health refers to the
health status of a defined group
of people and the actions and
conditions both private and
public (governmental) to
promote, protect and preserve
their health.
10/24/2023
Introduction
to
Public
Health

6. Community versus
Population
• The WHO defines COMMUNITY as “a group of
people, often living in a defined geographical
area, who share a common culture, values, and
norms, are arranged in a social structure
according to relationships they have developed
over a period of time.
• Members of a community gain their personal
and social identity by sharing common beliefs,
values and norms.
• They exhibit some awareness of their identity
as a group, and share common needs and a
commitment to meeting them.
10/24/2023
Introduction
to
Public
Health

7. Community versus
Population
• Population refers to people who are not organized and have
no identity as a group or locality.
• For instance:
• Men under fifty,
• Adolescents,
• Prisoners
10/24/2023
Introduction
to
Public
Health

8. Why “Community Health?”
• Community based practice
•The community or community
segment is the client.
•Collaboration
•Looking at the big pictures and
identifying contributing factors
10/24/2023
Introduction
to
Public
Health

9. Determinants of Health
(Ecological Framework)
• ✦ Health is determined by:
• Biology/behavior/lifestyle, as well as
• Physical, cultural & social environment,
• Policies and politics (that affect our
personal choices and society’s decisions
about the distribution of resources and
opportunities)
10/24/2023
Introduction
to
Public
Health

10. Factors that Affect the Health
of a Community
10/24/2023
Introduction
to
Public
Health

11. Physical Determinants
•Geography
•Environment
•Industrial development
10/24/2023
Introduction
to
Public
Health

12. Socio-cultural Determinants
•Beliefs, traditions and social
norms;
•Economy;
•Politics;
•Religion;
10/24/2023
Introduction
to
Public
Health

13. Community Organization
•Community size;
•Arrangement and
distribution of
resources (“relations of
production”)
10/24/2023
Introduction
to
Public
Health

14. Behavioural Determinants
•Individual behaviour
and life style
10/24/2023
Introduction
to
Public
Health

15. Core Activities of Public Health
1. Preventing epidemics;
2. Protecting the environment,
workplace, food and water;
3. Promoting healthy behavior;
4. Monitoring the health status of
the population;
5. Mobilizing community action;
10/24/2023
Introduction
to
Public
Health

16. Core Activities of Public Health
6. Responding to disasters;
7. Assuring the quality, accessibility, and accountability of
medical care;
8. Reaching out to link high risk and hard to reach people in
medical services;
9. Researching to develop new insights and innovative
solutions; and
10. Leading the development of sound health policy and
planning.
10/24/2023
Introduction
to
Public
Health

17. Core Functions
•1. Assessment;
•2. Policy Development;
•3. Assurance
10/24/2023
Introduction
to
Public
Health

18. Disciplines of Public Health
• 1. Epidemiology and Biostatistics:
• Basis of assessment function (through collection and
analysis of information);
2. Environmental health, social and
behavioral sciences:
Basis for assessment as well as policy development
(through understanding of causes of health
problems);
3. Health policy and management
Basis of assurance function (through understanding
of the medical care system).
10/24/2023
Introduction
to
Public
Health