Public+Health

=__**Public Health**__= Public health is the branch of medicine that deals with the prevention and control of medical threats and diseases in order to protect the health of the population.
 * ====Public health focuses more on the threat of diseases on the overall population, rather than just focusing on one individual.====
 * ====Public health’s main focus is to prevent diseases rather than treating them through the use of surveillance cases and promoting healthy lifestyles.====


 * Examples of Public Health:**


 * Vaccinations are part of the public health’s preventative measures at increasing health and prolonging life.

 **Advantages**
 * ADVANTAGES & DISADVANTAGES**
 * ====It aids in preventing disease====
 * ====Attempts to discover the cause of a disease====
 * ====Looks out for the good of the population====
 * ====Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) help decrease geographical borders by providing medical aid in other countries====
 * Disadvantages**
 * ====Not well developed in developing countries====
 * ====Does not treat the disease====
 * ====Does not seek to help just one person====
 * ====Many countries do not spend much money on public health====

[|What Is Public Health?] [|__American Public Health Association__]
 * __Two Examples of Public Health Organizations:__

[[http://www.apha.org/|Additional Information Lana Bilani

]] **

[|PUBLIC HEALTH]
 Public health is the branch of medicine that deals with the prevention and control of medical threats and diseases in order to protect the health of the population. The United Nation’s World Health Organization defines health as “//A state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.//” Public health focuses more on the threat of diseases on the overall population, rather than just focusing on one individual. Public health’s main focus is to prevent diseases rather than treating them through the use of surveillance cases and promoting healthy lifestyles. For example, vaccinations are part of the public health’s preventative measures at increasing health and prolonging life. Many countries have their own form of public health agencies. These are sometimes called ministries of health. Their job is to respond to health issues in their own country. However, there is a massive difference in the type of public health care provided in developing nations and that provided in developed nations. In the developing world, public health institutions are still being created. The draw back is that there are not enough health personnel or medical resources. In the developing world, many diseases are the result of extreme poverty. It is a sad fact that some countries in Africa only spend $10 per person on healthcare.
 * What is Public Health**

 The practices of public health can be traced back to the begginings of human civilization. Even at an early stage, humans recognized that polluted water and improper disposal of waste, could spread disease. Early religions decided to create certain rules for health related behaviour. For example, there were rules against the kinds of foods that could be eaten and against too much alcohol. By the Roman period, it was understood that a proper sewer system was needed to keep the population healthy. Even the Chinese had created their own form of public health – they would have those who were not infected with the smallpox disease sniff the dried crusts that fromed on the bodies of others. This was a very primitive form of a vaccine.
 * Brief History of Public Health**


 * Public Health Today** Today, public health ministries are most concerned with AIDS/HIV, SARS, diabetes, childhood obesity, teenage pregnancies, and even public smoking.


 * Advantages and Disadvantages**
 * Advantages**
 * It aids in preventing disease
 * Attemps to discover the cause of a disease
 * Looks out for the good of the population
 * Non-governmental organizations ( NGOs ) help decrease geographical borders by providing medical aid in other countries
 * Disadvantages**
 * Not well developed in developing countires
 * Does not treat the disease
 * Does not seek to help just one person
 * Many countries do not spend much money on public health