About public health

Public health contributes to health sciences in a distinctive way. Public health focuses its analyses on populations rather than individuals. Populations are defined by age, ethnicity, gender, location, occupation, and/or socio-economic circumstances.

Approaching health issues and problems from a public health perspective involves the philosophical understanding that there is a collective responsibility to care for, protect and encourage the health of all, regardless of age, ethnicity, gender or socioeconomic status.

In short, public health is concerned primarily with the promotion and maintenance of health and it starts with communities or populations as units of analysis.

Our approach focuses on the social determinants of health. Why?

Throughout the world, vulnerable and socially disadvantaged people have less access to health resources, get sicker and die earlier than people in more privileged social positions. These unfair gaps are growing in spite of an era of unprecedented global wealth, knowledge and health awareness. By far the greatest share of health problems is attributable to broad social conditions. Yet, health policies have been dominated by disease-focused solutions that largely ignore the social environment. As a result, health problems persist, inequalities have widened, and health interventions have obtained less than optimal results. At the same time, there is evidence that policy, action and leadership to address the social dimensions of health can improve health and access to health care. (World Health Organization's Commission on the Social Determinants of Health).

 

For more information click on the web links below:-

Public Health Association Australia

Australian Health Promotion Association

World Health Organisation, Social Determinants of Health

 

The following reference/text books are used by Public Health and can be viewed through Oxford Press Australia

The New Public Health, 3rd Edition by Fran Baum

Understanding Health; A Determinants Approach, 2nd Edition, by Helen Keleher and Colin MacDougall

 

"Public health is the totality of the activities organised by societies collectively to protect people from disease and to promote their health. It seeks to do this in a way that promotes equity between different groups in society. Public health activities occur in all sectors and will include the adoption of policies which support health"