Public health

Public Health Introduction According to Bernard (2008), public health is the art and science of preventing disease, prolonging life, and promoting health and efficiency through organized community effort.
To what extent has public health contributed to improvement in health status and quality of life over history?
Public health has contributed greatly to the improvement in health status and quality of life through; prevention of injuries, protecting against environmental hazards, preventing epidemics and the spread of diseases, promoting and encouraging healthy behaviors, accessing the quality and accessibility of health services, as well as responding to disasters and assisting communities in recovery (Bernard, 2008).
What historical phenomena are most responsible for the development of public health responses?
Battling with epidemics such as cholera, typhoid, smallpox, tuberculosis, and yellow fever, prior to 1850, was one of the events that led to of public health responses. This included; the formation of the first board of health; Jenner and Snow use of deductive logic and common sense to fight small pox and cholera, respectively. This instigated events such as the battling of the epidemics by various public health pioneers prior to 1850; the construction of state and local infrastructure (1850 -1949); and the filling in gaps in medical care delivery (1950-1999). These events led to the development of public health responses (Bernard, 2008).
Which features of public health make it different from other fields?
Public has several unique traits that make it different from other fields. These traits include; public health’s social justice philosophy, its link with the government, its use of prevention as a prime intervention strategy, its dynamic and ever-expanding agenda, its grounding in the sciences, its inherently political nature, and its uncommon culture and bond (Bernard, 2008).
Which features are most unique and distinctive? Why?
Public health’s social justice philosophy is its most unique and distinctive feature since social justice is said to be the foundation of public health.
.
References
Bernard J. (2008). Essential Of Public Health. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.