Objective:
To provide a foundational understanding of public health, its core functions, and its importance in improving community health outcomes.
Course Outline
- Definition and Importance of Public Health (10 minutes)
- What is Public Health?
- Definition: Public health focuses on preventing disease, prolonging life, and promoting health through the organized efforts of society.
- Differences between public health and clinical medicine.
- Historical Impact of Public Health:
- Examples of key public health milestones (e.g., vaccinations, sanitation, and control of infectious diseases).
- Why Public Health Matters:
- Public health’s role in improving life expectancy, reducing healthcare costs, and enhancing quality of life.
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- Core Functions of Public Health (15 minutes)
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- Assessment: Collecting and analysing health data to identify community health problems and trends. This involves monitoring disease outbreaks, conducting surveys, and tracking health outcomes.
- Policy Development: Creating evidence-based public health policies and regulations to address health issues and promote community well-being. This includes crafting laws, guidelines, and initiatives like anti-smoking campaigns or vaccination mandates.
- Assurance: Ensuring that essential public health services are accessible and available to the population, such as immunization programs, health education, and preventive care services. This also involves monitoring the effectiveness of health services.
These functions aim to protect and improve population health through coordinated efforts.
3. Key Public Health Concepts (20 minutes)
- Social Determinants of Health
- Factors like income, education, housing, and environment that influence health outcomes.
- Example: Impact of socioeconomic status on life expectancy.
- Epidemiology Basics
- Definition and purpose of epidemiology (the study of disease patterns in populations).
- How epidemiologists use data to track diseases (e.g., COVID-19 pandemic data).
- Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
- The difference between primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention.
- Examples: Vaccination (primary), screening programs (secondary), rehabilitation (tertiary).
4. Current Public Health Challenges (10 minutes)
- Emerging Infectious Diseases
- Module guide of global challenges like COVID-19, antimicrobial resistance.
- Chronic Diseases
- The rise of non-communicable diseases (e.g., heart disease, diabetes) and public health strategies to address them.
- Global Health
- The role of public health in global challenges, including climate change, pandemics, and access to healthcare.
Quiz (5 minutes)
A short, 5-question quiz to reinforce key concepts.
1. Which of the following best describes the primary focus of public health?
a) Treating patients in clinical settings
b) Preventing disease and promoting health in populations
c) Conducting laboratory research on viruses
d) Treating diseases with advanced technology
2. Which of the following is an example of a primary prevention strategy?
a) Chemotherapy for cancer treatment
b) Vaccination against infectious diseases
c) Mammography for breast cancer detection
d) Physical therapy after a stroke
3. What is the role of epidemiology in public health?
a) To treat patients with infectious diseases
b) To monitor and study disease patterns in populations
c) To develop clinical treatments for rare diseases
d) To run health promotion campaigns
4. What are the social determinants of health?
a) Factors related to social media and health
b) Individual health behaviours like diet and exercise
c) Conditions like income, education, and housing that influence health
d) New technological advancements in healthcare
5. What is the core function of ‘assurance’ in public health?
a) Developing policies to address public health issues
b) Ensuring services are provided to achieve health goals
c) Collecting and analysing health data
d) Conducting research on new health treatments
Conclusion (5 minutes)
- Recap the importance of public health.
- Discuss potential next steps for further learning or engagement in public health fields.
Answer Key:
- b
- b
- b
- c
- b
References:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2014). “The Public Health System and the 10 Essential Public Health Services.”
Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/nphpsp/essentialservices.html- This source covers the essential functions of public health and the role of government and other organizations in public health services.
- World Health Organization (WHO). (2022). “Social Determinants of Health.”
Available at: https://www.who.int/social_determinants/en/
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- Provides detailed information about social determinants of health and their influence on population health.
- Kindig, D., & Stoddart, G. (2003). “What Is Population Health?” American Journal of Public Health, 93(3), 380–383.
DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.93.3.380
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- This paper explores the definition and scope of population health, emphasizing the broader role of public health.
- Gordis, L. (2014). “Epidemiology.” Elsevier Health Sciences.
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- A comprehensive textbook that explains the principles of epidemiology, which is foundational to public health research and practice.
- Public Health England. (2020). “Health Matters: Prevention – A Life Course Approach.”
Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/health-matters-prevention-a-life-course-approach
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- This resource discusses the life course approach to disease prevention, covering the different levels of prevention in public health.
- Institute of Medicine (US) Committee for the Study of the Future of Public Health. (1988). “The Future of Public Health.” National Academies Press (US).
Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK218218/
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- Provides historical and conceptual insights into the evolution and future directions of public health in the U.S.
- World Health Organization (WHO). (2021). “Noncommunicable Diseases.”
Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/noncommunicable-diseases
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- Offers an overview of the global rise of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and their impact on public health systems.
- Baicker, K., & Chandra, A. (2020). “The Consequences of Health-Care Privatization: Evidence from Medicare Advantage.”
American Economic Review, 110(10), 3166–3212.
DOI: 10.1257/aer.20170214
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- Discusses the broader impacts of healthcare systems on population health, particularly in the context of public versus private healthcare.