Transcript Introduction to Public Health

What is Public Health?
 Public health is the
science of preventing
disease, prolonging life
and promoting health
through the organized
efforts and informed
choices or society.
(C.E.A.Winslow, 1920)
 It is concerned with the
overall health of a
community.
Characteristics of Public Health
1) It deals with
preventative rather
than reactionary
measures.
2) It deals with
population-level health
issues, not individuallevel ones.
Public Health Components
 Public Health usually is divided into smaller
categories:
1) Epidemiology: studying the factors that affect a
populations health
2) Biostatistics: the collection, summarization and
analysis of health data
3) Health Services: the preservation of health through
the services of health professionals (nurses, doctors,
dentists…)
The Focus
 The focus of public
health is to prevent
disease/illness through
surveillance and the
promotion of healthy
behaviours.
 Sometimes curing a
disease can be a form of
prevention as in most
infectious disease
outbreaks.
The Goal
 The World Health
Organization (WHO)
defines health as “a state of
complete physical, mental
and social well being and
not just the absence of
disease”.
 The goal of public health is
to improve lives through
the treatment and
prevention of disease.
Kingston Frontenac Lennox and
Addington Public Health Unit
KFL&A Health Unit
 This is Kingston’s Public Health Unit.
 Website: www.kflapublichealth.ca
 It provides information on health issues for the
Kingston area.
 It also has resources for educators, immunization
clinics, travel health clinics, sexual health clinics and
info for all age groups as well as business owners and
bosses in workplaces.
Ontario Ministry of Health and
Long-Term Care
 This is the provincial public health unit.
 Website: http://www.health.gov.on.ca
 It keeps track of health issues affecting Ontarians.
 It also comes up with initiatives that the
government deems necessary to act upon in our
province.
 Currently, diabetes, H1N1 flu, and colon cancer are
some of the problems being focused on in Ontario.
Health Canada
 This is our national public health unit.
 Website: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/index-eng.php
 It looks after health issues affecting Canadians.
 Covers many of the same issues and preventative
measures that provincial and municipal public
health agencies in Ontario cover since a third of the
Canadian population is in Ontario.
Homework
1) What is public health?
2) What are the sub-categories of public health? What
do they look at?
3) If you live in Kingston, Ontario, what three public
health agencies do you fall under?
4) Choose an issue affecting a fictional person and see
what info the public health agencies can give you
about that topic. Possible health topics include:
obesity, diabetes, any STD, seasonal flu, H1N1 flu,
nutrition, exercise, alcohol or drug use, etc…