PUBLIC HEALTH AND THE IMPORTANCE

Public health refers to "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals."It is concerned with threats to health based on population health analysis.Public health incorporates the interdisciplinary approaches of epidemiology, biostatistics and health services. Environmental health, community health, behavioral health, health economics, public policy,insurance medicine and occupational safety and health are other important subfields.

The focus of public health intervention is to improve health and quality of life through prevention and treatment of disease and other physical and mental health conditions. This is done through surveillance of cases and health indicators, and through promotion of healthy behaviors. Examples of common public health measures include Promotion of hand washing, breastfeeding, delivery of vaccinations, and distribution of condoms to control the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.Public health researchers, practitioners and educators work with communities and populations. We identify the causes of disease and disability, and we implement largescale solutions.

For example, instead of treating a gunshot wound, we work to identify the causes of gun violence and develop interventions. Instead of treating premature or low birth-weight babies, we investigate the factors at work and we develop programs to keep babies healthy.The focus of a public health intervention is to prevent and manage diseases, injuries and other health conditions through surveillance of cases and the promotion of healthy behaviors, communities and environments.Its activities aim to provide conditions in which people can be healthy and focus on entire populations, not on individual patients or diseases. Thus, public health is concerned with the total system and not only the eradication of a particular disease. The three main public health functions are:

• The assessment and monitoring of the health of communities and populations at risk to identify health problems and priorities.

• The formulation of public policies designed to solve identified local and national health problems and priorities.

• To assure that all populations have access to appropriate and cost-effective care, including health promotion and disease prevention services.

IMPORTANT  OF PUBLIC HEALTH

* Diagnose and Investigate health problems and health hazards in the community*Monitor health status to identify community health problems*Mobilize community partnerships to identify and solve health problems*Inform, Educate, and Empower people about health issues*Enforce laws and regulations that protect and ensure public health and safety*Assure a competent public and personal health care workforce*Link people to needed personal health services and assure the provision of health care when otherwise unavailable*Research for New Insights and Innovative Solutions to Health Problems*Evaluate Effectiveness, Accessibility, and Quality of Personal and Population-Based Health Services