Foundations of Public Health: Building a Healthier World

Building a Healthier World
Foundations of Public Health: Building a Healthier World

1. Foundations of Public Health: Building a Healthier World

2. What is Public Health? Definition: The science and art of promoting health, preventing disease, and prolonging life through organized efforts of society Focus on population-level health rather than individual health Aims to create conditions where people can be healthy Involves a wide range of professions and disciplines How does public health impact your daily life?

3. Core Functions of Public Health 1. Assessment: Monitoring community health status 2. Policy Development: Informing, educating, and empowering people about health issues 3. Assurance: Ensuring the provision of health care when otherwise unavailable Can you think of examples for each of these functions in your community?

4. Historical Milestones in Public Health 1854: John Snow's cholera investigation (birth of epidemiology) 1918: Influenza pandemic 1948: Establishment of the World Health Organization (WHO) 1979: Eradication of smallpox 2000s: Focus on global health security and pandemic preparedness How have these milestones shaped our current public health practices?

5. Social Determinants of Health Definition: Conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work, and age Examples: Education Income and wealth Housing Access to healthcare Environmental conditions How might these factors influence health outcomes in your community?

6. The Public Health Approach 1. Define the problem 2. Identify risk and protective factors 3. Develop and test prevention strategies 4. Ensure widespread adoption This approach can be applied to various health issues Can you think of a health problem and how this approach might be used?

7. Epidemiology: The Foundation of Public Health Definition: The study of the distribution and determinants of health-related states or events in specified populations Key concepts: Incidence and prevalence Risk factors Study designs (e.g., cohort, case-control) How does epidemiology help in decision-making for public health policies?

8. Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Health promotion: Process of enabling people to increase control over and improve their health Disease prevention: Measures to prevent the occurrence of disease and decrease its consequences Levels of prevention: 1. Primary: Prevent disease before it occurs 2. Secondary: Detect disease early and prevent progression 3. Tertiary: Reduce the impact of ongoing illness What health promotion activities have you participated in?

9. Global Health Challenges Infectious diseases (e.g., HIV/AIDS, malaria, COVID-19) Non-communicable diseases (e.g., heart disease, cancer, diabetes) Environmental health issues (e.g., climate change, air pollution) Health inequities and disparities Access to healthcare and medicines Which of these challenges do you think is most pressing in your country?

10. Public Health Ethics Balancing individual rights and community well-being Ethical principles in public health: Respect for autonomy Beneficence Non-maleficence Justice Case study: Mandatory vaccination programs How would you approach this ethical dilemma?

11. Health Systems and Policy Components of health systems: 1. Service delivery 2. Health workforce 3. Health information systems 4. Medical products and technologies 5. Financing 6. Leadership and governance Role of policy in shaping public health outcomes How does your country's health system compare to others?

12. Environmental Health Focus on the relationship between human health and the environment Key areas: Air quality Water safety Food safety Climate change Built environment How does your local environment impact your health?

13. Occupational Health and Safety Promoting and maintaining the highest degree of physical, mental, and social well-being of workers Key issues: Workplace hazards Ergonomics Stress management Work-life balance What occupational health risks exist in your desired career field?

14. Maternal and Child Health Focus on the health and well-being of women, children, and families Key areas: Prenatal care Infant and child nutrition Immunizations Adolescent health Why is maternal and child health considered a cornerstone of public health?

15. Health Communication and Education Importance of effective communication in public health Strategies: Mass media campaigns Community outreach Health literacy programs Social media and digital platforms How can public health messages be tailored to reach diverse populations?

16. Emergency Preparedness and Response Planning for and responding to public health emergencies Types of emergencies: Natural disasters Disease outbreaks Bioterrorism Key components: 1. Surveillance and detection 2. Risk communication 3. Rapid response teams 4. Coordination with multiple sectors What lessons can we learn from recent public health emergencies?

17. One Health Approach Collaborative effort of multiple disciplines working locally, nationally, and globally Aims to achieve optimal health for: People Animals Environment Examples: Zoonotic diseases, antimicrobial resistance How does the One Health approach reflect the interconnectedness of our world?

18. Health Informatics and Technology Use of information technology to improve health care delivery and public health practice Applications: Electronic health records Disease surveillance systems Telemedicine Mobile health (mHealth) apps How might emerging technologies shape the future of public health?

19. Public Health Research Importance of evidence-based practice in public health Types of research: Descriptive studies Analytical studies Intervention studies Challenges: Ethical considerations Funding Translation of research into practice Why is ongoing research crucial for advancing public health?

20. Future of Public Health Emerging trends: Precision public health Big data and artificial intelligence Climate change adaptation Global health security Challenges and opportunities How can you contribute to shaping the future of public health?

21. Careers in Public Health Diverse range of opportunities: Epidemiologist Health educator Environmental health specialist Biostatistician Health policy advisor Interdisciplinary nature of the field Which area of public health interests you most and why?