Introduction to Public Health

Question 1

What is the definition of public health?

Answer 1

Public health is the set of activities a society undertakes to monitor and improve the health of its collective membership

Question 2

What are distinguishing features of public health?

Answer 2

1) Focus on preventing disease and injury
2) Patient is entire community, not individuals
3) Provider is society not individual professionals

Question 3

How does public health differ from other health professions?

Answer 3

Other health professions involve:

1) An individual provider
2) An individual patient
3) Emphasis on treating illness of disability

Question 4

Example of a difference between public health and healthcare

Answer 4

1) Dentists treat individual patients

2) Government fluoridates the water supply making water available to all members of the community

Question 5

Factors that could avoid premature mortality:

Answer 5

1) Lifestyle: 50%
2) Environment 20%
3) Human biology (genetics)- 20%
4) Additional medical care- 10%

Question 6

What is the hierarchy of ph/medical care in theory?

Answer 6

Public health—>Collective health services—> Individual health services

Question 7

What is the actual hierarchy of ph/medical care?

Answer 7

Medicine–> Individual health services—> Public health

Question 8

What is given more funding–public health or medical care?

Answer 8

Medical care

Question 9

Why the PH/MC imbalance?

Answer 9

1) Market systems: Cater to services for individuals
2) Interest group politics
3) What people want (Taking care of current trauma rather than future benefit)
4) People’s lack of appreciation of relative risks
5) Invisibility of PH

Question 10

Benefits and costs of PH programs

Answer 10

Benefits: Abstract, Deferred
Costs: Tangible, immediate

Question 11

Benefits and costs of MC programs

Answer 11

Benefits: Tangible, immediate
Costs: Abstract, deferred

Question 12

What is the mission of public health?

Answer 12

“The aim of public health is to generate organized community effort to address the public interest in health by applying scientific and technical knowledge to prevent disease and promote health”

Question 13

Core functions of public health

Answer 13

1) Assessment of the health of the population
2) Development of public health policies
3) Assurance of the availability of needed services

Question 14

Assessment of the health of the population requires:

Answer 14

1) Data collection
2) Statistical and epidemiologic analysis
3) dissemination of findings

Question 15

Development of public health policies requires:

Answer 15

1) Use of a scientific knowledge base

2) Appreciation and use of the political process

Question 16

Assurance of the availability of needed services

Answer 16

1) Encouraging appropriate actions by other entities (public or private)
2) Requiring such actions through law or regulation
3) Directly providing services

Question 17

List 5 essential public health services

Answer 17

1) Monitor health status to identify community health problems
2) Diagnose and investigate health problems and health hazards in the community
3) Inform, educate and empower people about health issues
4) mobilize community partnerships to identify and solve health problems
5) Develop policies and plans that support individual and community health efforts

Question 18

List 5 other essential public health services

Answer 18

6) Enforce laws and regulations that protect and ensure safety
7) Link people with needed personal health services and assure the provision of health care when otherwise unavailable
8) Ensure a competent public health and personal health care workforce
9) Evaluate effectiveness, accessibility and quality of personal and population based health services
10) Research for new insights and innovative solutions to health problems

Question 19

What are the five core areas of public health?

Answer 19

1) Epidemiology
2) Biostatisics
3) Environmental Health Sciences
4) Health behavior and health education
5) Health Management and policy

Question 20

Epidemiology

Answer 20

Concerned with analyzing and describing patterns of occurrence and determinants of diseases in human populations

Question 21

Biostatistics

Answer 21

Focuses on the development and the application of statistical and mathematical methods to the design and analysis of public health problems and biomedical research

Question 22

Environmental Health Sciences

Answer 22

Aims to protect human health from adverse environmental conditions- in particular from harmful practices and harmful exposures in air, water, and food in the workplace, home and ambient environment

Question 23

Health Behavior and Health Education

Answer 23

Addresses the factors associated with health related behavior and health status and develops and evaluates educational activities designed to improve individual and community health and quality of life

Question 24

Health Management and Policy

Answer 24

Focuses on improving access to, financing of, and delivery of high quality health services and on developing and implementing cost-effective public health policies

Question 25

Definition of disease prevention

Answer 25

Anticipatory action taken to reduce the possibility of an event or condition occurring or developing, or to minimize the damage that may result from the event or condition if it does occur

Question 26

Primary prevention disease status and effects

Answer 26

Disease status: Susceptible, Reduced disease incidence

Question 27

Secondary prevention disease status and effects:

Answer 27

Disease status: Asymptomatic

Effects: Reduced prevalence/ consequence

Question 28

Tertiary prevention: Disease status and effects

Answer 28

Disease status: Symptomatic

Effects Reduced complications/disability

Question 29

Why are public health issues often contentious? (5 reasons)

Answer 29

1) Restrictions on individual liberty
2) Debate over individual responsibility
3) Economic interests
4) Morality issues in public health measures
5) Politics in science