1.2: What Is Public Health?
- Page ID
- 116076
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)Public health encompasses a number of different scientific disciplines, jobs and practices, all united by their commitment to improving the health of the public. Public health practitioners - whether they are health educators or water quality monitors, food policy advocates or infectious disease specialists - focus on the health and well-being of the community as a whole. They study how disease and injury affect populations as a whole, and they work to prevent disease and injury on a large scale. In fact, prevention is probably the most important word in the public health lexicon.
Public health is the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life, and promoting health -- through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations,, communities, and individuals.
A frequently-cited definition of public health (written in 1920 by public health pioneer C.E.A. Winslow) is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life, and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations public and private, communities, and individuals." Societal and community actions, in particular, are central to the mission of public health. The phrase "informed choices" refers to the importance of data and research to making good policies and programs for health. The phrase "organizations public and private" means that both governmental and nongovernmental organizations play a part. To put Winslow's ideas into more modern language, the American Public Health Association (APHA) offers another definition of public health: "Public health promotes and protects the health of all people and their communities. This science-based, evidence-backed field strives to give everyone a safe place to live, learn, work and play."
So what is health?
The World Health Organization's definition of health states that "Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity."
- What strikes you about this definition? How is it similar or different from a definition of heath you would have written yourself?
- Why do you think the WHO includes physical, mental and social forms of well-being?
It is this broad definition of health that guides the work of public health departments and agencies - and it also informs the content of this course. Public health works to support health and well-being, at many levels of society.
The work of public health is everywhere, yet sometimes invisible. Since you got up this morning, what you have you encountered that might reflect the work of public health? Clean water? Safe food? Public transportation? What else?
Video
This video from Crash Course offers an excellent overview of public health. (Crash Course is an educational publisher in the United Kingdom.) As you watch this video, take a few notes.
- What stands out to you as core concepts or principles in public health?
- What kinds of actions do public health workers carry out?
- What are the differences you notice between personal health and public health? Or between public health and clinical medicine?
- Why does public health matter? Where do you think public health has had an impact on your own life?
- Anything you find surprising about public health?
Check your understanding:
(Q: ADD back in these short questions? H5P or how?)
References
American Public Health Association. (2025). What is public health. https://www.apha.org/what-is-public-health
CrashCourse. (2022, August 4). What is public health? YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aww-Bpgkf4&t=2s
Winslow, CEA. (1920). The untilled fields of public health. Science. 51(1306):23–33
World Health Organization. (1946, 1948). Constitution. https://www.who.int/about/governance/constitution