public health

What is the main focus of public health?

Public health is the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life, and promoting health through organized community efforts.

Who plays a key role in public health and disease outbreaks?

Epidemiologists are crucial in local health departments and study the distribution and determinants of health-related events.

What are the three core functions of public health?

Assessment, Policy Development, and Assurance.

What is primary prevention in public health?

Primary prevention seeks to avoid the occurrence of illness or injury before it happens.

What agency is primarily responsible for health surveillance in the United States?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Give an example of a public health effort.

Provision of clean water and sanitation.

What does the term 'notifiable diseases' refer to?

Diseases that must be reported to health authorities when diagnosed.

What is the significance of life expectancy changes over the 20th century?

Life expectancy in the U.S. has increased significantly, attributed mainly to public health measures rather than medical care.

What was the response of public health to the 9/11 attacks?

Coordinated rapid emergency medical care and ensured the safety of cleanup workers and residents.

What is epidemiology?

The systematic study of the distribution and determinants of health-related events in populations.

Describe 'secondary prevention'.

Secondary prevention seeks to minimize the severity of an illness once it has occurred.

What are the four main types of prevention in public health?

Primary, Secondary, Tertiary, and Quaternary prevention.

What distinguishes public health from medical care?

Public health focuses on populations and prevention, while medical care focuses on individual patients and treatment.

What is a significant challenge faced by public health today?

Balancing funding and resources between public health and medical care.

What role do government agencies play in public health?

They ensure vital systems are in place and coordinate core functions and essential services.

What is the purpose of health policies?

Health policies aim to improve the health of the community and address public health issues based on scientific knowledge.

What was Charles-Edward A. Winslow's definition of public health?

The science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life, and promoting health through organized community efforts.

What is tertiary prevention?

Tertiary prevention aims to minimize disability by providing medical care and rehabilitation services after an illness or injury.

Why is public health often less recognized than medical care?

Public health achievements are less tangible, as they focus on preventing illness rather than treating it.

What is an example of a government role in health education?

Laws requiring immunization of schoolchildren to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.

What is an example of a successful public health intervention?

Immunization programs that reduce the incidence of preventable diseases.