Public Health

Question 1

Public Health components per CEA Winslow

Answer 1

• Preventing disease
• Prolonging life
• Promoting health
(via efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private communities, and individuals)

Question 2

Define epidemic, outbreak

Answer 2

• Epidemic: occurrence in a community or region of cases of an illness, specific health-related behavior, other health-related event clearly in excess of normal expectancy. Refers to a larger geographic distribution vs. outbreak. A state or country
• Outbreak: Same as epidemic but smaller geographic distribution. A city

Question 3

ID four lens through which view history of public health

Answer 3

1. Sanitation and environmental health: EPA
2. Pandemics: Influenza, polio, HIV
3. Preparedness for disaster response: Biologic warfare, 9/11, hurricane Katrina
4. Prevention through policy: Book of Leviticus, tobacco laws, obesity

Question 4

Four steps in public health approach to solving public health problems

Answer 4

• What is the problem
• What is the cause
• What works
• How do you do it

Question 5

5 core sciences that are foundation of public health approaches

Answer 5

• Prevention effectiveness
• Epidemiology
• Laboratory
• Informatics
• Surveillance

Question 6

State the three core functions of public health defined by the Institute of Medicine that must be carried out at all levels of government for the overall public health system to work effectively

Answer 6

• Assessment: systematically collect, analyze, and make available information on healthy communities
• Policy Development: promote the use of a scientific knowledge base in policy and decision making
• Assurance: ensure provision of services to those in need

Question 7

Identify the ten essential public health services and relate them to the three core functions of public health

Answer 7

• Assessment
  • Monitor health
  • Dx and investigate
• Policy and development
  • Inform, educate, empower
  • Mobilize community partnerships
  • Develop policies

- Assurance
•	Enforce laws
•	Link to and provide care
•	Assure a competent workforce
•	Evaluate

• All three (in the center of them all)
  • Research

Question 8

Identify stakeholders or partners beyond government that assist in public health efforts and recognize some of the roles that they play

Answer 8

• Community
• Gov public health infrastructure: city planning, education, health in all policies
• Academia: education, training, research, public service
• The media: public discourse, education and promotion, communication, social media as catalyst
• Clinical care delivery system
• Employers and businesses: health insurance, wellness initiatives and benefits, healthy workplaces and communities

Question 9

Recognize nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) that play important roles in public health, especially at the community level.

Answer 9

• Professional membership organizations (American Public Health
• Associations related to a specific health concern (American Cancer Society)
• Organizations of citizens focused on health concerns (Americans for Nonsmokers Rights)
• Foundations that support health projects and influence public policy development (Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation)

Question 10

List the four determinants of health and rank them in the order of their contribution to the health of a population

Answer 10

• Social or societal characteristics #1
• Health behaviors #2
• Health services or medical care #2
• Genes and biology #3

Question 11

Identify the factors that define the base of the health impact pyramid and the elements defining the tip of the pyramid

Answer 11

Starting at the base and moving to the tip:
• Socioeconomic factors: poverty, education
• Making healthy decisions the default: seatbelt laws, smoking restrictions
• Preventative medicine: vaccinations, cholesterol screening
• Medical care: treatment of heart disease
• Counseling and education: tobacco warning labels, promote quitting