The Role of Public Health in AmericaCallie AnyanHLST 2001February 20, 2014Dr. Tommerdahl

What is Public Health? “Public health is defined as the

practices, procedures, institutions, and disciplines required to achieve the desired state of population health.” (Friedman, D. J., Parrish, R., & Ross, D. A. 2013)

Components of Public Health Sanitation Education Socioeconomic Status Public Services Intervention Federally Funded Healthcare Pollution

History of Public Health 17th-18th Century

Physicians concentrated on balancing the body’s humors as they believed this directly affected public health

Sanitation was inadequate Lack of sewer systems Over crowded cities Rampant diseases

First public hospitals opened(Schuetze, S. 2013)

History of Public Health (cont.) 19th Century

Domestic and public hygiene improved Researchers discovered the

microorganisms causing epidemic disease Health literature became available to the

public Public bath houses were constructed Implementation of sewer systems(Rubenstein, E. 2012)

History of Public Health (cont.) 20th Century

Access to health care resources due to emerging technology

Political involvement in public health Exponential development of medications Implementation of public health education

programs(Rubenstein, E. 2012)

Public health: Present day Copious amounts of electronic health resources available Public education on prevalent issues (diabetes, obesity,

sexual health) U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention releases

information regarding current events in health on a regular basis

Federally funded healthcare programs (Medicare & Medicaid) provide financial assistance to the elderly and poor

Widespread effort to eliminate pollution and promote sanitation

(Rubenstein, E., 2012)&(Friedman, D. J., Parrish, R., & Ross, D. A., 2013)

Future of Public Health Prevention of disease Prolongation of life Promotion of healthy lifestyles Increased government involvement and

funding in public health education programs

Increased effort to reduce air pollution, specifically CO2 emission

(Graham, H., 2010)

Future of Public Health (cont.) Cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness analysis

regarding healthcare Implementation of more federal healthcare

policies to assist and educate underprivileged and minorities

Isolate factors causing epidemic, preventable diseases

Encourage future generations to take an active role in their healthcare

(Graham, H. 2010)

Issues Facing Public Health High cost of nutritious food Minorities and poor are under educated

regarding disease prevention and sexual health

Closing of federally funded healthcare facilities due to national debt

Epidemic of diabetes, cancer, and other illness due to public’s lifestyle choices

(Azétsop, J., & Joy, T. R., 2013)

Current Strengths of Public Health

Implementation of interventions in school aged children Smoking cessation/prevention Encouragement of healthy eating habits Sexual health education Dangers of excessive alcohol use (Diepeveen, S., Ling, T., Suhrcke, M., Roland, M., & Marteau, T. M., 2013)

Current Strengths of Public Health (cont.)

Efforts to promote independent functioning among older adults

(Freedman, V. A., Kasper, J. D., Spillman, B. C., Agree, E. M., Mor, V., Wallace, R. B., & Wolf, D. A., 2014) Increased knowledge on mentally health

and better incorporation of mentally ill individuals into society

(Kolich, H. N., 2013)

Public Health: An Ongoing Process

“Public health is the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life, and promoting physical health and efficiency through organized community efforts” (Winslow, 1920 via Graham, H., 2010)

Public health is an area of constant change and reformation. Healthcare professionals must develop with it and implement necessary changes to better our society.

Public Health Resources Physical Activity and Health: A Report of the Surgeon

Generalby U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Center for Disease Control and Preventionwww.cdc.gov

Climate change and human health: Impacts, vulnerability and public health http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0033350606000059

Framing the Consequences of Childhood Obesity to Increase Public Support for Obesity Prevention Policy

by American Journal of Public Health

References Schuetze, S. (2013). The Contagious City: The Politics of Public Health in Early America. Journal Of

The Early Republic, 33(3), 566-568. Rubenstein, E. (2012). From Social Hygiene to Consumer Health: Libraries, Health Information,

and the American Public from the Late Nineteenth Century to the 1980s. Library & Information History, 28(3), 202-219. doi:10.1179/1758348912Z.00000000016

Friedman, D. J., Parrish, R., & Ross, D. A. (2013). Electronic Health Records and US Public Health: Current Realities and Future Promise. American Journal Of Public Health, 103(9), 1560-1567. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2013.301220

GRAHAM, H. (2010). Where Is the Future in Public Health?. Milbank Quarterly, 88(2), 149-168. doi:10.1111/j.1468-0009.2010.00594.x

Azétsop, J., & Joy, T. R. (2013). Access to nutritious food, socioeconomic individualism and public health ethics in the USA: a common good approach. Philosophy, Ethics & Humanities In Medicine, 8(1), 1-22. doi:10.1186/1747-5341-8-16

Diepeveen, S., Ling, T., Suhrcke, M., Roland, M., & Marteau, T. M. (2013). Public acceptability of government intervention to change health-related behaviours: a systematic review and narrative synthesis. BMC Public Health, 13(1), 1-11. doi:10.1186/1471-2458-13-756

Freedman, V. A., Kasper, J. D., Spillman, B. C., Agree, E. M., Mor, V., Wallace, R. B., & Wolf, D. A. (2014). Behavioral Adaptation and Late-Life Disability: A New Spectrum for Assessing Public Health Impacts. American Journal Of Public Health, 104(2), e88-e94. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2013.301687

Kolich, H. N. (2013). THE UNITED MENTAL STATE OF AMERICA. Vibrant Life, 29(3), 8-11.