1 Foundations of Public Health
Learn how population health, interconnected health determinants, and public health functions guide efforts to improve health across groups and communities.
and communities
focuses on the health outcomes of a group and how those outcomes are distributed within it. A population may be defined by geography, age, shared circumstances, or another characteristic. Considering both overall outcomes and their distribution can reveal differences hidden by an average; for example, a town’s average asthma rate may appear stable while rates rise in neighborhoods near a major road.
Health across a population is shaped by many sectors, not only health care. Public health agencies, health-care organizations, schools, employers, local governments, and community groups can work together to understand health concerns and improve the conditions that influence them.
are the interacting circumstances and conditions that influence health. They include several connected categories:
Social and economic conditions: income, education, employment, social support, and access to resources.
Physical conditions: housing, transportation, workplaces, clean air and water, and neighborhood safety.
Individual characteristics and behaviors: age, genetics, and health-related choices.
Health services: whether people can access and use services that prevent or treat illness.
These categories can affect one another and shape health outcomes. Income and local housing options can affect where a family lives; housing quality and nearby traffic can affect exposure to asthma triggers; and access to care can affect whether asthma is diagnosed and managed. Because people often have limited control over the conditions around them, health outcomes should not be attributed solely to individual choices.
Social conditions and health differences
are the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work, and age, along with the broader systems and distribution of resources that shape those conditions. When these conditions are unfairly distributed, avoidable differences in health can arise between groups.
Examining determinants helps public health identify not only who is experiencing a health problem, but also what circumstances may be contributing to it.
The role of public health
Public health works to protect and improve the health of populations. It monitors community health, investigates health problems and hazards, supports collective decisions and action, and helps ensure that essential services and public health capacity are available.
Health care primarily serves patients, while public health also addresses conditions and risks affecting groups and communities. These roles complement one another.
The
The are , , and . They work together in an ongoing cycle: information guides action, and evaluation helps determine whether that action is working.
: Collect and analyze information about health status, determinants, community needs, and hazards. A health department may compare asthma rates across neighborhoods and examine housing or air-quality data.
: Use evidence and community engagement to set priorities and develop policies, plans, and partnerships. A community might use local findings to prioritize safer housing or reduced exposure to air pollution.
: Help ensure that needed services are accessible, the public health workforce and organizations can do their work, and programs are evaluated and improved.
The 10 Essential Public Health Services describe practical activities within this framework, including investigating hazards, communicating with the public, mobilizing partnerships, developing policies, and improving public health programs.