what's new
add/edit information
join the conversation
identify needsPublic Health
Public Health+context
see also:
There are 2 distinct characteristics of public health:
1. It deals with preventive rather than curative aspects of health
2. It deals with population-level, rather than individual-level health issues
The focus of public health intervention is to prevent rather than treat a disease through surveillance of cases and the promotion of healthy behaviors. In addition to these activities, in many cases treating a disease may be vital to preventing it in others, such as during an outbreak of an infectious disease. Hand washing, vaccination programs and distribution of condoms are examples of public health measures.
The goal of public health is to improve lives through the prevention and treatment of disease. The United Nations' 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."[2]
+resources and best practices
Public Health+background
history of public health on wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_health#History_of_public_health
Public Health+definitions
Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals." (1920, C.E.A. Winslow)[1] It is concerned with threats to the overall health of a community based on population health analysis. The population in question can be as small as a handful of people or as large as all the inhabitants of several continents (for instance, in the case of a pandemic). Public health is typically divided into epidemiology, biostatistics and health services. Environmental, social, behavioral, and occupational health are also important subfields. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_health
Public Health+best practices
Public Health Information Network at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control
Public Health+lessons learned
- Control of Communicable Diseases Manual edited by James B. Chin, APHA, 2000
- Encyclopedia of public health edited by Lester Breslow, Macmillan Reference 2002
Public Health+standards in field
Public health programs: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_health#Public_health_programs
Public Health+Attached Documents
Complete List of Schools and Programs of Public Health Accredited by the CEPH (PDF)
Public Health+other
related articles on wikipedia:
