Provide an explanation for what public health is

Public Health is defined as the art and science of preventing disease, prolonging life, and promoting health through the organized efforts of society.

A more formal definition is:

“The science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life, and promoting physical health and efficiency through organized community efforts for the sanitation of the environment, the control of community infections, the education of the individual in principles of personal hygiene, the organization of medical and nursing service for the early diagnosis and preventive treatment of disease, and the development of the social machinery which will ensure to every individual in the community a standard of living adequate for the maintenance of health”.

Public Health is Prevention: Practice of preventing disease and promoting good health within groups of people, from small communities to entire countries.

Public Health is Policy Development and Population Health Surveillance: Public Health professionals rely on policy and research strategies to understand issues such as infant mortality and chronic diseases in particular populations.

The answers to Question 2 is coming

I'm unsure if you have to write about it, so if that's what you do, here are some things to write about.

In terms of health services:

Both access to health services and the quality of health services has an impact on health. The lack of access, or limited access, to health services greatly impacts an individual’s health status. For example, when individuals do not have health insurance, they are less likely to participate in preventive care and are more likely to delay medical treatment. Barriers to accessing health services include:

• Lack of availability
• High cost
• Lack of insurance coverage
• Limited language access

These barriers to accessing health services lead to:

• Unmet health needs
• Delays in receiving appropriate care
• Inability to get preventive services
• Hospitalizations that could have been prevented

In terms of personal choices / individual behavior:

Individual behavior also plays a role in health outcomes. For example, if an individual quits smoking, his or her risk of developing heart disease is greatly reduced. Many public health and health care interventions focus on changing individual behaviors such as substance abuse, diet, and physical activity. Positive changes in individual behavior can reduce the rates of chronic disease in this country.

Examples of individual behavior determinants of health include:

• Diet
• Physical activity
• Alcohol, cigarette, and other drug use
• Hand washing