Introduction to Public Health Flashcards
(29 cards)
What is the definition of Public Health?
Public health is the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life, and promoting health through organized efforts of society.
What is the mission of Public Health?
The mission of Public Health is to protect, preserve, and promote the health of the public.
What are core public health principles/values?
- Focusing on the health of communities rather than individuals
- Influencing health determinants
- Prioritising improvements in Māori health
- Reducing health disparities
- Basing practice on the best available evidence
- Building effective partnerships across the health sector and other sectors
- Remaining responsive to new and emerging health threats
What are the components of Public Health?
- Epidemiology
- Hauora Māori
- Health Policy
- Health Systems
- Health Promotion
- Research Methods
What does the WHO definition of health (1946) state?
A state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
What are the frameworks for Public Health?
- Defining and understanding ‘health’
- Understanding a particular health issue
- Designing interventions to improve health
What is the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion (1986)?
- Build healthy public policy
- Create supportive environments
- Strengthen community action
- Develop personal skills
- Reorient health services
- Monitor and evaluate
Fill in the blank: The Treaty of Waitangi is known as _______.
[NZ’s founding document]
What are the two approaches to health discussed in the context of Public Health?
- Upstream approach
- Downstream approach
What is the role of Epidemiology in Public Health?
- Monitoring
- Identifying causes and consequences
True or False: Public health focuses primarily on individual health rather than community health.
False
What public health achievements are noted in Australia?
- Folate: Reduced neural tube defects
- Immunisation and eliminated diseases
- Elimination of Cervical Cancer
- Reduced dental decay
- Reduced incidence of skin cancer in young adults
- Fewer deaths due to smoking
- Brought down road death and injury toll
- Reduced gun deaths
- Contained HIV spread
- Prevented deaths from bowel and breast cancer
What public health achievements are noted in the USA?
- Reduction in vaccine-preventable diseases
- Prevention and control of infectious diseases
- Tobacco control
- Maternal and infant health
- Motor vehicle safety
- Cardiovascular disease prevention
- Occupational safety
- Cancer prevention
- Childhood lead poisoning prevention
- Public health preparedness and response
What are some challenges faced by Public Health?
Challenges include addressing climate change, new diseases, and social justice.
Who are the professionals involved in Public Health?
- Physicians
- Nurses
- Engineers
- Environmental scientists
- Health educators
- Social workers
- Nutritionists
- Administrators
- Other specialized professionals
Fill in the blank: Public health requires _______ by society.
[collective action]
What metaphor is used to describe preventative measures in Public Health?
Fence at the top of the cliff vs Ambulance at the bottom of the cliff
What are the main components of epidemiology?
Monitoring, Identifying causes and consequences
Epidemiology plays a critical role in public health by tracking health trends and understanding disease patterns.
What are some key prevention strategies in public health?
Vaccination, Contact tracing, Isolation
These strategies are essential for controlling the spread of infectious diseases.
What is a strong focus in public health initiatives?
Health equity
Ensuring that health resources and opportunities are accessible to all, particularly vulnerable populations.
What are the three dimensions of the epidemiological triangle?
Person, Place, Time
These dimensions help in understanding the factors that influence health outcomes.
True or False: Public health prioritizes individual autonomy over community health.
False
Public health emphasizes community well-being and health equity over individual autonomy.
What is the public health approach to addressing health issues?
Focus on communities rather than individuals, Evidence-based decisions, Government’s essential role
This approach seeks to protect the most vulnerable populations.
Fill in the blank: The clash of values in public health includes a focus on _____ versus individual freedom.
Utility
This reflects the tension between collective good and individual rights.
