Pub Health Exam 1

What is the primary purpose of public health?

• Promote health

• Prevent disease

What does public health promote and protect?

The health of people and the communities where they live, work, and play.

How does public health prevent disease?

Through preventative measures and health promotion efforts.

What is an example of public health in an occupational setting?

Employers may offer lower insurance premiums or other incentives to employees who demonstrate healthy behaviors.

What are examples of workplace health promotion programs?

1. Active & Fit programs

2. Healthy eating incentives

3. Exercise programs.

What is health promotion?

The process of enabling people to increase control over and improve their health.

What are the 3 main goals of health promotion?

1. Change behaviors

2. Promote healthy lifestyles

3. Reduce morbidity and mortality

What are examples of health promotion?

Vaccinations and health screenings

How can incentives be used in health promotion?

• Offering rewards for healthy behaviors

  • $20 Target gift card for getting a vaccine

What is the Social Ecological Model?

A model that explains how physical and social environments create and influence health outcomes.

What type of approach is the Social Ecological Model?

An upstream approach

What are the 4 levels of the Social Ecological Model, from individual to broadest?

Individual → Relationship → Community → Society (Societal)

What is an upstream approach of the Social Ecological Model?

Addressing the social, environmental, and systemic factors that contribute to health problems before they reach the individual.

What is a downstream approach of the Social Ecological Model?

Focusing on individual-level interventions after a health problem exists.

What is an example of a downstream approach for cardiovascular disease?

Individual health counseling and medication adherence.

What is an example of an upstream approach for cardiovascular disease?

Addressing food selection, grocery store availability, exercise venues, and healthcare access.

What factors are included at the Individual level of the Social Ecological Model?

• Diet

• exercise

• knowledge

• behaviors

• attitudes

• beliefs

What factors are included at the Relationship level of the Social Ecological Model?

• Peer influence

• partners

• cultural beliefs/values

• head of household.

What factors are included at the Community level of the Social Ecological Model?

• Workplace influence

• supermarkets

• rural vs. urban location

• recreational spaces

• sidewalks

• food deserts/swamps

• medical access

What factors are included at the Societal level of the Social Ecological Model?

• Affordability

• insurance coverage

• citizenship status

• local guidelines

• availability of preventative care.

Which level is the best place to start for long-term, sustainable change?

The societal level

What are social determinants of health (SDOH)?

The conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work, and age that influence their health.

What are the 5 major categories of social determinants of health?

1. Education access & quality

2. Health care access & quality

3. Neighborhood & built environment

4. Social & community context

5. Economic stability

What does the built environment mean?

The physical surroundings where people live, work, learn, and play that can affect their health.

What are examples of social determinants of health?

• Where you work

• education

• grocery access

• school access.

How can economic stability affect health?

Factors like income and employment/career can affect a person's ability to afford necessities and access healthcare.

How can neighborhood and built environment affect health?

Access to things like grocery stores, safe neighborhoods, transportation, and schools can influence health.

What is race?

A social construct used to categorize people based on physical characteristics, such as skin color, physical features, and parentage.

Is race biologically determined?

No

• Race is a social construct based largely on perceived physical characteristics

What is culture?

A shared set of beliefs, values, customs, behaviors, and arts that characterize a specific group, society, or organization.

What is ethnicity?

A classification of people who share language and cultural traditions.

What is the difference between race and ethnicity?

• Race → physical characteristics/social construct

• Ethnicity → shared culture, language, and traditions

What is an important distinction about race and ethnicity?

They are not the same concept:

• race focuses on socially defined physical categories

• ethnicity focuses on shared cultural and linguistic traditions

What are examples of ethnic/racial group classifications?

• Native American or Alaskan

• Hispanic or Latino/a/x

• Asian, Asian American, Pacific Islander

• African, African-American

What is the World Health Organization (WHO)?

The public health arm of the United Nations (UN) that directs and coordinates international health efforts.

What is the main role of the WHO?

To direct and coordinate international health efforts within the United Nations system.

How does the WHO respond to public health emergencies?

It responds to emergencies caused by

• natural disasters

• human-made disasters

What are the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)?

17 global goals designed to improve health and well-being worldwide, with a target date of 2030.

How does the WHO work with nurses?

By working with nurses and other healthcare professionals to promote and implement public health interventions.

What is the overall purpose of the WHO?

To bring countries together to work collaboratively on global health problems and emergencies.

What is risk reduction?

An approach that emphasizes increasing a person's ability to protect themselves against disease.

How can risk reduction be achieved?

By removing risks from the environment or reducing the level of risk.

What is the main goal of risk reduction?

To increase a person's ability to fight or protect themselves against disease.

What is primary prevention?

Preventing the development of disease BEFORE it happens

What are examples of primary prevention?

• Vaccines

• healthy eating

• regular exercise

What is secondary prevention?

Early detection and treatment of disease.

What are examples of secondary prevention?

• Cancer screenings

• Colonoscopies

• Pap smears.

What is tertiary prevention?

Preventing or reducing disability, promoting the possibility of cure when possible, and preventing death after disease has developed

What are examples of tertiary prevention?

Physical therapy after a stroke and cardiac rehabilitation

What 4 factors make a screening test effective?

1. Specificity

2. Sensitivity

3. Validity

4. Reliability

What is specificity?

The ability of a screening test to give a negative result when the person truly does NOT have the disease → True Negative.

What does high specificity mean?

The test is good at correctly identifying people who DO NOT have the disease.

What is sensitivity?

The ability of a screening test to give a positive result when the person truly DOES have the disease → True Positive

What does high sensitivity mean?

The test is good at correctly identifying people who DO have the disease

What is validity?

The degree to which an instrument measures what it is supposed to measure

What is reliability?

The ability of an instrument to produce consistent results when repeated.

What is a false negative?

The person actually has the disease, but the test says negative

Actual: Positive ✅

Test: Negative ❌

What is a false positive?

The person does NOT have the disease, but the test says positive.

Actual: Negative ❌

Test: Positive ✅

What are the 6 levels/types of community assessment?

1. Comprehensive

2. Population-focused

3. Setting-specific

4. Problem/health issue-based

5. Health impact

6. Rapid needs assessment

What is a comprehensive assessment?

A collection of existing data about a community.

• Comprehensive = Collect what already exists

What are examples of data used in a comprehensive assessment?

• Reports

• Census data

• Journals

What is a population-focused assessment?

An assessment that focuses on a specific population or group within a larger population.

• Population = People/group

Give an example of a population-focused assessment.

Studying pregnant women in Long Beach

What is a setting-specific assessment?

An assessment that focuses on a specific place or setting and its structure, strengths, weaknesses, people, and available data

• Setting = PLACE

Give an example of a setting-specific assessment.

Studying Kaiser to determine why nurses are frequently going on strike

If nurses working below radiology are developing cancer, what type of assessment would you use first?

Setting-specific assessment — examine the structure/environment of the setting first.

What is a problem- or health issue-based assessment?

An assessment that starts by identifying a specific health problem or issue

• Problem-based = What is the HEALTH PROBLEM

Give an example of a problem-based assessment.

Investigating why stroke deaths are more common in the South, possibly related to dietary patterns

What is a health impact assessment?

An assessment that examines the potential or actual health effects of an intervention, policy, or program

• Health Impact = “Did this intervention affect health?”

Give an example of a health impact assessment

Evaluating the health impact of COVID-19 vaccination

What is a rapid needs assessment?

A quick assessment used during an emergency or urgent situation to determine what needs to be done.

• Rapid = QUICK + EMERGENCY

What is the main purpose of a rapid needs assessment?

To quickly identify needs and determine immediate actions