How is Public Health Different From the Other Health Professions?
Public health is comprised of many professional disciplines such as medicine, dentistry, nursing, optometry, nutrition, social work, environmental sciences, health education, health services administration, and the behavioral sciences, its activities focus on entire populations rather than on individual patients. The Population-based Approach to Health: • eradicates life threatening diseases (e.g. smallpox, polio). • controls and prevents infectious diseases and outbreaks (e.g. measles, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and Ebola virus). • reduces death and disability due to unintentional injuries through formulations of policies designed to protect the safety of the public (e.g. seat belt and worker safety laws). • promotes healthy lifestyles to prevent chronic diseases (e.g. cancer, heart disease, obesity). • educates populations at risk to reduce sexually transmitted diseases, teen pregnancy and infant mortality. • facilitates community empowerment to improve mental health, reduce substance a
