Essay
P1- Define what is meant by public health
- Module
- Unit 24 - Public health
- Institution
- OCR
P1- Define what is meant by public health
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Unit 31P1- Define what is meant by public health
When you hear the term "public health" on the news, TV or radio what does this term actually mean as
a whole? Is it the general health of individuals or is it the health of society collectively? Well in this task, I
will tell you and define what is meant by public health.
What is meant by public health?
To start off my unit and this task, I will give WHO’s (World Health Organisations) definition of public
health. WHO define public health as “the art and science of preventing disease, prolonging life and
promoting health through the organised efforts of society”. What this definition actually means in other
words is, that public health is about health, helping people stay healthy and protecting them from
health threats and issues. Public health as a whole play a big part in many countries and in the UK
dealing with public health and keeping the public and society as a whole healthy is Public Health
England. Public Health England in the UK, deal with all matters to do with pubic health and they state
“we exist to protect and improve the nation’s health and wellbeing, and reduce health inequalities”.
Public health deals with a lot and contributes to reducing the causes and reasons of ill-health and
improving people’s health and wellbeing through protecting people’s health from threats including
biological and environmental threats, improving peoples health, for example helping improving living
conditions or taking action on smoking, ensuring that health services are available, efficient and effective
and by researching into academic science and health to build evidence on health concerns and if health
matters are getting better.
They carry out their purpose using prevention, protection and promotion, that are known as the three
P’s. Sectors associated with public health use the three P’s to help improve societies health, prevent
disease and prolong life. The first P, protection is carried out with the control of infectious diseases,
managing health emergencies, environmental hazards and a healthy workplace. The second P,
promotion is carried out by promoting health behaviours, improving social detriments to health and
health education. While the third P, prevention is carried out by vaccination and screening. These three
P’s collectively are what enable us to live healthily and have a happy life. Public health use services to
carry out the three P’s to improve the health of society.
Health education, biostatistics, emergency medical services, epidemiology, international health,
environmental health, nutrition, policy and practice, preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting
health are all fields of pubic health used to promote, protect and prevent ill health, disease and poor
health detriments.
, Health education
Health education is what carries out the prevention and promotion P’s. Health education and public
health promote healthy behaviours, healthy communities and healthy environments for the changes in
the health of society. Health education plays a major part in the prevention of ill health and diseases, as
health education allows society to be educated on health concerns and how to spot and prevent such
unhealthy diseases or conditions. Health education initiatives and programs, help educate and empower
communities, individuals and society to live healthier lifestyles by increasing knowledge and influencing
attitudes. You see many government and NHS initiatives and programs use to educate the public, and
this has especially been seen frequently with the onset of COVID, where the government have been
using acronyms such as “hands, face, space” and vast advertisement over TV and the media, in an
attempt to prevent the disease from getting out of control and effecting vast numbers of society.
Health education involves education regarding sex, nutrition, safety, family planning and mental and
physical emotional wellbeing, with education on such topics being very important in modern society and
the promotion of positive health. Education of such topics regarding safe sex, can prevent unwanted
pregnancy and diseases and ill-health such as HIV and AIDS. Such educations have really influenced
societies general health, and since the 19 th century such education has been developed and helped
greatly influence society and prevent ill health and diseases, so health education itself is imperative for
the prevention of ill health, promotion of positive health and the longevity of society and those within it.
Biostatistics
Now onto science and statistics, biostatistics. Biostatistics are the development and application of
statistical methods to various biological topics. The concept addresses and studies the development,
implementation and application of statistical methods of medical research. Just like epidemiology, in
current times, the application of biostatistics has been imperative. Biostatistics used in public health can
help identify the best way to deploy resources to treat populations.
It involves monitoring health, growth, ages, birth and death rates. If such topics are looked into and
monitored, then recognised detriments can be assessed and such detriments can be bettered to prevent
ill health and promote positive health. Information and statistics from biostatistics, can help public
health understand, assess and target detriments in health. Regarding the three P’s that public health
aim to carry out, biostatistics allows public health to learn and prevent diseases and prolong life.
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