Public health
![A community health worker in Korail Basti, a slum in [[Dhaka](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8c/A_community_health_worker_conducting_a_survey_in_the_Korail_slum%2C_Bangladesh_%288630810827%29.jpg)
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". Analyzing the determinants of health of a population and the threats it faces is the basis for public health. The ''public'' can be as small as a handful of people or as large as a village or an entire city; in the case of a pandemic it may encompass several continents. The concept of ''health'' takes into account physical, psychological, and social well-being, among other factors.
Public health is an interdisciplinary field. For example, epidemiology, biostatistics, social sciences and management of health services are all relevant. Other important sub-fields include environmental health, community health, behavioral health, health economics, public policy, mental health, health education, health politics, occupational safety, disability, oral health, gender issues in health, and sexual and reproductive health. Public health, together with primary care, secondary care, and tertiary care, is part of a country's overall healthcare system. Public health is implemented through the surveillance of cases and health indicators, and through the promotion of healthy behaviors. Common public health initiatives include promotion of hand-washing and breastfeeding, delivery of vaccinations, promoting ventilation and improved air quality both indoors and outdoors, suicide prevention, smoking cessation, obesity education, increasing healthcare accessibility and distribution of condoms to control the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.
There is a significant disparity in access to health care and public health initiatives between developed countries and developing countries, as well as within developing countries. In developing countries, public health infrastructures are still forming. There may not be enough trained healthcare workers, monetary resources, or, in some cases, sufficient knowledge to provide even a basic level of medical care and disease prevention. A major public health concern in developing countries is poor maternal and child health, exacerbated by malnutrition and poverty coupled with governments' reluctance in implementing public health policies. Developed nations are at greater risk of certain public health crises, including childhood obesity, although overweight populations in low- and middle-income countries are catching up.
From the beginnings of human civilization, communities promoted health and fought disease at the population level. In complex, pre-industrialized societies, interventions designed to reduce health risks could be the initiative of different stakeholders, such as army generals, the clergy or rulers. Great Britain became a leader in the development of public health initiatives, beginning in the 19th century, due to the fact that it was the first modern urban nation worldwide. The public health initiatives that began to emerge initially focused on sanitation (for example, the Liverpool and London sewerage systems), control of infectious diseases (including vaccination and quarantine) and an evolving infrastructure of various sciences, e.g. statistics, microbiology, epidemiology, sciences of engineering.
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3by Triador, LucilaContributors: “...Storey, Kate (Department of Public Health Sciences, School of Public Health)...”
Published 2013
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5by McCartney, Gerry, Mahmood, Lamia, Leyland, Alastair H, Batty, G David, Hunt, KateContributors: “...MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit...”
Published in Tobacco Control (2011)
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7by Phetdavanh LeuangvilayContributors: “...Chulalongkorn University. College of Public Health Sciences...”
Published 2011
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8by Carlsen, Hanne Krage, Hauksdottir, Arna, Valdimarsdottir, Unnur Anna, Gíslason, Thorarinn, Einarsdottir, Gunnlaug, Runolfsson, Halldor, Briem, Haraldur, Finnbjornsdottir, Ragnhildur Gudrun, Gudmundsson, Sigurdur, Kolbeinsson, Thorir Björn, Thorsteinsson, Throstur, Pétursdóttir, GudrunContributors: “...Centre of Public Health Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland....”
Published in BMJ Open (2013)
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9by Carlsen, Hanne Krage, Gislason, Thorarinn, Benediktsdottir, Bryndis, Kolbeinsson, Thorir Bjorn, Hauksdottir, Arna, Thorsteinsson, Throstur, Briem, HaraldurContributors: “...Centre of Public Health Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland....”
Published in BMJ Open (2013)
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10by Zoëga, Helga, Baldursson, Gisli, Hrafnkelsson, Birgir, Almarsdottir, Anna Birna, Valdimarsdottir, Unnur, Halldorsson, MatthiasContributors: “...Centre of Public Health Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland. hez2@hi.is...”
Published in Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology (2010)
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11by Torfadottir, Johanna E, Valdimarsdottir, Unnur A, Mucci, Lorelei, Stampfer, Meir, Kasperzyk, Julie L, Fall, Katja, Tryggvadottir, Laufey, Aspelund, Thor, Olafsson, Orn, Harris, Tamara B, Jonsson, Eirikur, Tulinius, Hrafn, Adami, Hans-Olov, Gudnason, Vilmundur, Steingrimsdottir, LaufeyContributors: “...Centre of Public Health Sciences, University of Iceland, Stapi v/Hringbraut 101, Reykjavik, Iceland....”
Published in Cancer Causes & Control (2013)
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12by Gudnadottir, Maria, Thorsteinsdottir, Thordis Katrin, Mogensen, Brynjolfur, Aspelund, Thor, Thordardottir, Edda BjorkContributors: “...1 Centre of Public Health Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland. Electronic address...”
Published in International Emergency Nursing (2018)
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13by Zoëga, Helga, Rothman, Kenneth J, Huybrechts, Krista F, Ólafsson, Örn, Baldursson, Gísli, Almarsdóttir, Anna B, Jónsdóttir, Sólveig, Halldórsson, Matthías, Hernández-Diaz, Sonia, Valdimarsdóttir, Unnur AContributors: “...Center of Public Health Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Health Sciences...”
Published in Pediatrics (2013)
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14by Olafsdottir, Elin, Aspelund, Thor, Sigurdsson, Gunnar, Thorsson, Bolli, Eiriksdottir, Gudny, Harris, Tamara B, Launer, Lenore J, Benediktsson, Rafn, Gudnason, VilmundurContributors: “...Icelandic Heart Association Research Institute, Kopavogur, Iceland; Center of Public Health...”
Published in BMJ Open (2012)
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15by Hálfdánarson, Óskar Ö, Pottegård, Anton, Björnsson, Einar S, Lund, Sigrún H, Ogmundsdottir, Margret H, Steingrímsson, Eiríkur, Ogmundsdottir, Helga M, Zoega, HelgaContributors: “...1 Centre of Public Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, Sturlugata 8, 101...”
Published in Therapeutic Advances in Gastroenterology (2018)
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16by Carlsen, Hanne Krage, Zoëga, Helga, Valdimarsdóttir, Unnur, Gíslason, Thórarinn, Hrafnkelsson, BirgirContributors: “...Centre of Public Health Sciences, School of Health Sciences, University of Iceland, Stapi v...”
Published in Environmental Research (2013)
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17by Cesta, Carolyn E, Cohen, Jacqueline M, Pazzagli, Laura, Bateman, Brian T, Bröms, Gabriella, Einarsdottir, Kristjana, Furu, Kari, Havard, Alys, Heino, Anna, Hernandez-Diaz, Sonia, Huybrechts, Krista F, Karlstad, Øystein, Kieler, Helle, Li, Jiong, Leinonen, Maarit K, Gulseth, Hanne L, Tran, Duong, Yu, Yongfu, Zoega, Helga, Odsbu, IngvildContributors: “...The Centre of Public Health Sciences (UI)...”
Published in BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care (2019)
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18by Þórðardóttir, Edda Björk, Valdimarsdottir, Unnur, Hansdóttir, Ingunn, Hauksdóttir, Arna, Dyregrov, Atle, Shipherd, Jillian C., Elklit, Ask, Resnick, Heidi, Guðmundsdóttir, BerglindContributors: “...The Centre of Public Health Sciences (UI)...”
Published in European Journal of Psychotraumatology (2016)
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19by Grétarsdóttir, Áslaug Salka, Aspelund, Thor, Steingrímsdóttir, Þóra, Bjarnadóttir, Ragnheiður Ingibjörg, Einarsdóttir, KristjanaContributors: “...1 Centre of Public Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland...”
Published in Birth (2019)
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20by Jóhannsdóttir, Vigdís, Gudmundsson, Sveinn, Möller, Eðvald, Aspelund, Thor, Zoëga, HelgaContributors: “...1Centre of Public Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland...”
Published in Transfusion (2016)
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