Transcript - EQUELLA

An Introduction to Public Health
and Epidemiology
Sue Thompson
Aims of session
• Be able to define common public health terms
• To gain awareness of the many different influences
on people’s health
• To understand why public health came into being
and it’s importance
• To gain un understanding of epidemiology and its
role in health care
• To gain knowledge of modern day public health and
nurses role within it
Public Health Definition
• The science and art of preventing disease,
prolonging life and promoting health through
the organised efforts and informed choices of
society, organisations, public and private,
communities and individuals. (Winslow 1920)
Influences on Health
Factors associated with the immediate
social and physical environment
Factors concerned with the individual
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Gender
Race
Age
Genetic make up
Personality
Self esteem
Self confidence
Disease
Smoking, drinking and exercise
habits
Diet
Level of education
Marital status
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Family
Class
Culture
Religion
Income
Friends/social support
Housing
Employment status
Interests and potential of others
Access to shops and leisure
facilities
Influences on health
Factors concerned with the wider social, physical or political environment
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Human rights
War/civil unrest
Political system
Medicine
State of development
Advertising
Environmental pollution
State health, education and
social services
• Economic system
Public Health
Health Promotion
Enabling people to
increase control
over their health
Health Education
Providing
information
Raising awareness
Health Surveillance
Monitoring people’s
health
Health Protection
Fighting epidemics,
infectious diseases
Epidemiology
• “The quantitive study of the distribution,
determinants and control of disease in
populations” (Rose 1992)
• Distribution – where were the cholera cases?
• Determinant – infected water
• Control – Remove the source – inactivate the
pump
Cause and effects
• Epidemiology is the study into the cause and
prevention of disease
• Often the process is unknown
• Hypotheses usually depend on a study of
possible contributing factors – often called risk
factors.
• These are often multiple eg CHD, cot death
with the more risk factors present the greater
the likelihood of disease.
Main Modern Day Public Health Roles
• Tackling Chronic Disease
• Responding to and prevention of pandemics
(eg Swine Flu/SARS)
• Responding to natural disasters (eg Tsumanis)
• Addressing inequalities in health nationally
and internationally
Ways in which nurses can contribute to the
public health agenda
• Keep updated re latest research re risk factors and
preventative measures especially in your own clinical
area.
• Provide clear and up to date information to patients and
family members
• Ensure up to date knowledge of services, initiatives for
referral/signposting
• Encourage and facilitate lifestyle change based on latest
research
• Work in partnership with other professional gps, local
authorities, patients/carers voluntary organisations etc to
develop and sustain initiatives to improve health status
• As a senior nurse lobby for policy change