Public Health Basics
What term describes actions society takes collectively to create conditions in which people can be healthy?
Public health
Which level of government commonly provides services such as restaurant inspections and local disease investigation?
Local health departments
What is epidemiology?
The study of the distribution and determinants of health-related events in populations
Is influenza generally considered a communicable or noncommunicable disease?
Communicable disease
What does health involve besides the absence of disease?
Physical, mental, and social well-being
What is a community?
A group of people who share common characteristics, interests, location, or identity
What federal agency is well known for tracking disease and protecting the public from health threats?
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Which measure describes the number of NEW cases of a disease during a specific period?
Incidence
What is a pathogen?
A disease-causing organism or agent
What is a risk factor?
A characteristic, behavior, or exposure that increases the likelihood of disease or injury
What term describes the health outcomes of a group of people?
Population health
What type of organization operates independently of government and often addresses community or health needs?
A nongovernmental organization (NGO) or voluntary health organization
Which measure describes ALL existing cases of a disease in a population at a given time?
Prevalence
Cleaning shared desks and frequently touched surfaces helps interrupt which part of disease spread?
The mode of transmission
Give one example of a health-promoting behavior.
Examples: regular physical activity, balanced nutrition, adequate sleep, vaccination, or avoiding tobacco
Name one major determinant of health.
Examples: biology/genetics, individual behavior, social environment, physical environment, or health services
What is one major role of governmental public health agencies?
Examples: disease surveillance, health education, regulation, prevention, emergency response, or protecting population health
What does morbidity refer to?
Illness or disease in a population
Vaccination is an example of what level of prevention when used to prevent disease before it occurs?
Primary prevention
Why can social and environmental conditions affect a person’s health?
They shape access to resources and exposures such as food, housing, education, healthcare, safety, and opportunities for healthy behaviors
What is the main difference between personal health and public/community health?
Personal health focuses on individual actions; public/community health focuses on organized actions that protect or improve the health of groups or populations
Why are partnerships between public health organizations and communities important?
They combine resources, knowledge, trust, and expertise to address community health problems more effectively
What does mortality refer to?
Death or the frequency of deaths in a population
Name two actions a school could take to reduce the spread of influenza.
Examples: vaccination, handwashing, cleaning surfaces, covering coughs/sneezes, staying home when sick, improving ventilation, or health education
A community creates safe walking paths so residents can be more physically active. Is this mainly an individual or community-level health action?
Community-level health action