What Is Public Health? Areas and Importance

Public health is a large field dedicated to the overall health of various populations. It aims to protect and improve the health of local communities, states, and countries by promoting healthy lifestyles, researching disease prevention, recommending policy changes, and educating the public about diseases, mental health, addictions, and other health issues.

Learn about the different areas that fall under the umbrella of public health, why this approach to health is important, and how you can get started in a public health career.

What is public health?

Dr. Donald Acheson, who served as chief medical officer of the United Kingdom in the late 20th century, defined public health as "the art and science of preventing disease, prolonging life, and promoting health through the organized efforts of society" [1].

Public health aims to improve the well-being of different communities through preventive medicine, health education, disease surveillance, policy development, and research. The goal of public health is often to promote wellness and prevent disease, injury, and premature death. It's worth noting that public health differs from health care, which focuses on an individual's health.

Where do public health professionals work?

Public health professionals work in a variety of settings across the globe. Some common workplaces include:

• Colleges and universities

• Government agencies like health departments and aging services

• Homecare businesses

• Hospitals

• Mental health clinics

• Pharmaceutical companies

• Schools

• Non-profit organizations

Why is public health important?

Health may seem like an individual concern, but when whole communities are mentally and physically healthy, society functions better. Public health can impact entire populations by protecting communities, addressing health disparities, and improving quality of life for many people, not just one or two.

Investing in health from a public perspective has several additional benefits:

• Prevention: Preventing health problems before they occur reduces the strain on health care systems and can be more cost-effective than treating illness, especially as it starts to spread in larger, more burdensome ways.

• Essential services: Public health protects entire communities and improves the quality of life for populations by providing essential services like clean water, food safety, and disease control.

• Social benefits: Public health impacts can be seen in increased life expectancy, reduced infant mortality, improved workplace safety, and an uptake in healthy behavior at the community level.

• Economic impact: Public health reduces health care costs, increases workforce productivity by keeping larger groups healthy, supports healthy aging, and prevents costly epidemics.

• Health equity: Public health addresses social determinants of health, reducing health disparities, improving access to health care, and promoting health justice.

6 public health areas

Within the larger field of public health, there are several areas where you can build expertise and a career. Each area addresses and aims to resolve critical public health issues.

Community health

Community health workers commit to improving a local community's quality of life and health. Through outreach, events, and education, they engage community members and seek to shift their behavior. Public health experts also gather data and advocate for community needs.

Epidemiology 

Epidemiologists strive to reduce the effects of diseases on communities through research, education, and advocacy for public policies. They collect information from large groups of people to analyze the data and find patterns that can give insight into what causes disease spread through interviews, fluid or blood samples, observations, and surveys.

Environmental health 

Environmental health examines various environmental factors and tries to determine their effects on the health of individuals and populations. It focuses on environmental risk factors in specific populations, such as smoke, water, and airborne pollutants.

Global health 

Also referred to as international health, global health focuses on serving communities in developing countries. While global health professionals address issues similar to those addressed in developed countries, the solutions must be unique due to constrained resources. Nonprofit organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF are involved in global health. Government organizations also employ global health workers.

Behavioral science 

Mental and physical health services focus on people's daily habits, behaviors, and actions that can affect their well-being. Behavioral health providers educate communities on topics including nutrition, fitness, addiction prevention, avoiding sexually risky behaviors, and ensuring the elderly have access to prescription drugs.

Public policy and management

Public policy workers strive to improve the health of many people by influencing the laws and policies created by government agencies. They analyze data, conduct research, and prepare reports. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) may also employ them directly. In this field, you can concentrate on a particular area of public policy, such as education, social advocacy, the government, or research and development.

Benefits of working in public health

A career in public health can be satisfying for a variety of reasons. Many public health workers feel good about helping develop strategies, policies, and programs to improve health at a global or regional scale. Here are additional benefits of a career in public health:

• The opportunity to work and interact with diverse populations

• Collaborate with the world's leading public health professionals

• Be a part of exciting, cutting-edge research

• Have opportunities to manage or lead others in a field that contributes to social impact.

• Participate in a well-paid, growing field contributing to society's overall health and well-being.

How to get started in public health

If you're interested in working in public health, you will need to complete certain education requirements and gain experience. Here is some guidance on beginning your journey as a public health professional.

Pursue an education.

While most entry-level positions in public health require at least a bachelor’s degree, there can be some flexibility about the kind of education you need to get started.

Associate degree careers

An associate degree is a good starting point to lay a solid foundation in public health studies. Examples of jobs available to those with an associate degree or a combination of education and experience include medical transcriptionist, medical coder, community health worker, and cancer registrar.

Bachelor's degree careers

A Bachelor's Degree in Public Health (BPH) or other relevant major is often required to qualify for entry-level public health jobs, such as an environmental health officer, demographer, or public health analyst. Learn more about the different jobs you can get with a BPH.

Master's degree careers

Earning your Master of Public Health (MPH) can be a valuable investment, advancing your overall knowledge of public health while developing specialized expertise in a certain area. With an MPH, you can prepare to take on leadership positions at the local, state, federal, and even international levels. Learn more about the jobs you can pursue with an MPH.

Develop public health skills.

To qualify for and expand your career opportunities in a public health role, develop skills that align with the eight core competencies sought after by most employers in the public health sector: 

• Policy development: Learn how to develop and implement policies related to public health by evaluating needs and strategizing potential policy solutions.

• Analytical skills: Learning to extrapolate relevant information from data is crucial, and using this information to create an actionable response is essential for success in public health.

• Cultural awareness: Community-based health initiatives require cultural competency, which allows public health workers to create need-based services for people from diverse cultural backgrounds.

• Communication skills: Communication skills may seem basic, but such skills are essential for gathering community input, acting to facilitate communication, and properly disseminating information.

• Public health science: This area of skills helps build a foundation for understanding public health, allowing for evidence-based policy-making.

• Community partnerships: Building active partnerships helps shape and defend community health-based programs.

• Leadership and systems thinking: Since collaboration among numerous agencies and the community is critical to an effective public health system, leadership skills that focus on teamwork and mentoring are essential.

• Financial planning and management: Funding is often among the most significant barriers to effective public health. Learning responsible planning and management of finite finances, along with the state, federal, and local procedures, can lay the foundation for the success of programs. 

Consider a public health certification.

Many people who have earned a bachelor's degree or gained work experience also choose to earn a public health certification. These certifications often boost your career prospects by expanding your knowledge and skills related to public health.

The Certification in Public Health (CPH) indicates to employers that you have a solid foundation in critical public health principles. Earning this credential requires that you be an attending student or a graduate of a CEPH-accredited school with five years of experience in the public health field or a graduate degree and three years of experience. 

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