What is Public Health?

Public health is “…the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals" (1920, C.E.A. Winslow). The focus of a public health intervention is to prevent and manage diseases, injuries and other health conditions through surveillance of cases and the promotion of healthy behaviors, communities and environments.

Public Health is a very multidisciplinary field, bring together teams of professionals with training in a variety of areas, including:

• Medicine, community medicine
• Infectious diseases
• Epidemiology
• Biostatistics
• Economics
• Nursing
• Microbiology
• Environmental health
• Dental Hygiene
• Nutrition
• Law
• Sociology
• Community development
• Communication

For more information go to the American Public Health Association website.