What is Public Health? Let's talk about it simply!

We all want to be healthy and happy. So, today we are going to talk about a special area that helps improve the health of you, your family, your friends, and the entire society. This is what we call Public Health . You may have heard this word before. Let's see what it is in simple terms and how it affects our lives.

What is Public Health? It's very simple!

Now, if you have a cold, you go to a doctor. The doctor examines you and gives you medicine that is specific to you. That is what general health care is, which means treating each person individually. However, public health is a little different, a broader concept. Here, specialists do not look at each individual, but at an entire group of people, or at an entire society. They look at the health problems in a particular area, or a particular population group, and how to solve them.

Think about it this way. In a village, data shows that diarrhea is becoming more common among young children. Then public health experts come and find out why. Maybe it's a lack of clean water, or maybe there's a lack of toilet facilities. Then they get together with the villagers, talk to community leaders, and find solutions to this problem. Maybe they start a program to clean wells, or educate people about the importance of washing their hands. See? This benefits not just one family, but the entire village, many people at once. It's like the protection that your pediatrician gives you, in addition to the advice you get from your pediatrician. Simply put, public health is about thinking about the health of the entire community, not just about one individual.

Who contributes to these public health works?

This is like a big team working together. Each one has a special role. Let's see who these people are?

• Epidemiologists: These people can also be called "disease detectives." They are the ones who look for patterns in the spread of diseases among a certain group of people, and what causes them. For example, when there is a dengue epidemic, they are the ones who look for things like how it spread, and who is most at risk.
• Health Education Specialists: As the name suggests, these people teach people about their bodies, how to stay healthy, and how to access health services. Raising awareness is key. They conduct workshops, distribute pamphlets, and provide information through various media.
• Public Health Physicians: These doctors are specially trained in public health. They work in community health centers and sometimes take leadership roles in shaping government health policies.
• Community Health Workers: These people are like a bridge between the people of the village and the city and the health services. They work closely with the community, identify their needs and help them. In our country, Family Health Midwives are a good example of this. They go to the homes and provide necessary advice and services to mothers and children.
• Biostatisticians: Sounds like a strange name, doesn't it? Simply put, they are the ones who collect, analyze, and interpret health-related data. This information helps policymakers and others make important decisions. For example, their analysis can help determine which age groups and regions are most likely to have a certain disease.
• Occupational Health and Safety Specialists: Whether you work in an office or a factory, you need to ensure your safety. These are the people who check that workplaces are meeting safety standards. Their inspections help keep employees safe from accidents.
• Restaurant Inspectors: When we buy food from a shop, we cannot see if it is prepared cleanly and hygienically. That is when these people become important. They inspect restaurants and hotels and ensure that they comply with the required health standards. That is why we can enjoy food without fear. In our country, Public Health Inspectors (PHIs) also do this work.

So, what do we mean by public health issues?

Public health issues are the things around us that affect how long we live and how well we live. These issues don’t affect everyone in the same way. That’s why experts study specific groups of people (for example, people from a certain region, a certain race, or a certain age group). They want to find out what problems each group has and what can be done to improve them.

Imagine how great it would be if everyone had the same good health care and facilities? That means everyone should have fair and equal access to the resources they need to maintain their health. We are not there yet. But the public health sector is committed to getting us there as much as possible.

These public health issues change over time. This is because new health risks may emerge. Also, with the advancement of medical science, some diseases that were once a major problem are no longer a major concern. Also, these issues vary from country to country.

For example, some of the major public health issues we are talking about in Sri Lanka are:

• Controlling the dengue epidemic.
• Increase in Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), such as Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, and Heart Disease.
• Child malnutrition and nutritional problems in adults.
• Reducing road accidents.
• Kidney diseases, especially chronic kidney disease (CKDu - Chronic Kidney Disease of unknown etiology) in some areas.
• Paying more attention to mental health.
• Minimizing the health impacts of environmental pollution.
• There is still a need to control infectious diseases like tuberculosis.
• Certain groups of people are at higher risk of developing health problems due to discrimination (such as systemic racism) .
• Preparing for future epidemics or pandemics.

These are just a few examples. Public health is a very broad subject. It seeks solutions to long-standing problems as well as to newly emerging needs.

How does the public health system work in a country like Sri Lanka?

In countries like America, there is a large network of institutions like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In our country, the Ministry of Health is the main institution, and these public health services are implemented at the provincial, district and regional levels. You may have heard of regional health directorate offices, medical officer of health offices (MOH offices). Also, officials like Public Health Inspectors (PHIs) and Family Health Midwives visit the village homes and provide services.

It's like everyone coming together to bring water to a village. Not just government health institutions, they work with many others. For example:

• Other government departments, such as the Environmental Protection Agency and the Ministry of Transport.
• Community-based organizations, religious places like temples and churches .
• Non-profit organizations.
• Hospitals and other healthcare systems.
• Community volunteers.

Everyone's support is very important to create a world where everyone has access to the health services they need.

So what services do we receive from this public health system?

The public health system provides a wide range of services. All of them aim to give everyone a fair chance to be as healthy as possible. Here are some of the things public health professionals do for communities across the country:

• Collecting and analyzing health data: This is called public health surveillance . Experts look for patterns to understand the needs of a community. For example, they identify who is most at risk for a particular disease. This can help identify areas where dengue cases are reported, age groups, etc.
• Responding to health emergencies: When an infectious disease outbreak occurs, a natural disaster occurs, or another emergency occurs, public health experts are on the front lines. They quickly gather data and make recommendations about what to do next. We saw this clearly during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Public education: Health and disease are complex topics. But public health experts help translate these scientific facts into language we all understand. Examples include awareness programs about nutrition, exercise, and vaccinations.
• Setting and enforcing safety standards: These people inspect places that require certain health or safety rules (like restaurants, schools, workplaces). They make sure everything is up to the required standards.
• Developing policies that ensure equal access to health services: There are many non-medical factors that affect our health every day. These are called social determinants of health . For example, things like clean water, good education, safe housing, and jobs. Public health experts study how these factors affect certain groups of people, and then develop policies to ensure that everyone has a fair chance.

A degree in public health? What is that?

Yes, there are even special degree programs for those who want to study this subject called public health. You may have heard of the `(MPH)` (Master of Public Health) degree . This is a postgraduate degree. That is, one that can be done after a regular degree. It provides in-depth training in areas such as epidemiology, biostatistics, environmental health sciences, health services administration, and social and behavioral sciences.

Also, in some universities , you can choose Public Health as a major and do a first degree, that is, a `(BSPH)` (Bachelor of Science in Public Health) degree . After completing this degree, you can either go on to do an `(MPH)`, or you can focus on a job in this field.

But public health is not just a professional field. It is much more than that. It is a collective effort of people who seek opportunities to help others live as healthy lives as possible.

So, what's the most important thing we want to take home from this story? Can you contribute to this too?

Public health is something that concerns the good of all of us, the well-being of the entire society. It is a program that strives to keep the entire population healthy, rather than curing individual illnesses.

If you read this article and thought, "Wow, helping to keep others healthy and safe is a good thing," then you've already made a commitment to public health! Even if you don't have a degree or specialized training, the things you do every day can make a big difference in the lives of others.

Think about things like this:

• If someone you know has difficulty going to the doctor, help them go.
• You can go for a walk one day a week with a neighbor who thinks they need to walk a little.
• Visit a relative or friend who is alone and give them a nutritious home-cooked meal.
• Share important health information and articles with your family and friends. For example, you can share an article like this.
• Inform your local public representatives about a public health issue that you think is important.

Public health is something that affects us, you, me, everyone. Therefore, we all have a responsibility to support those efforts.

So, I hope you understand what we've talked about today. Public health is not just a word, it's about all of our lives. If we all come together and contribute in small ways, we can create a healthier, happier society. Do you understand?

` Public Health, Community Health, Health System, Disease Prevention, Health Promotion, Health Education