Public health by
definition refers to "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through organized efforts and informed choices of society, communities and individuals.”
Huh??? So what does that mean??
Well….
Overall, public health is focused on protecting the health of entire
populations. These populations can be as small as a local neighborhood, or as
big as an entire country or region of the world.
Public health professionals work to prevent problems from happening
or recurring by recommending policies, providing educational programs, and conducting
research and data collection. In
contrast, although clinical professionals like doctors and nurses do include
prevention measures in their services, they primarily focus on treating
individuals, and usually after they become sick or injured.
Public health also works to help identify and break down health
inequities. Many of the causes of such inequities relate to social and
environmental factors including income, social status, gender, education, as
well as the physical environment, including housing. This area of work is driven by the general
concept that all people should have equal opportunity to achieve optimal
health.
