Public Health Essay Sample

Public Health has resulted in longer and more fulfilling lives for many people all over the world. The profession has now developed at both the local and international level. Ancient societies were aware of public health issues and attempted to prevent disease through religious practice however historical phenomena such as Black Death caused the very early formation of modern public health in the 15th century. This has continued beyond the industrial revolution. Disease has been one of the most significant issues that has shaped the profession of public health. The profession has now grown into one that includes many different professions and organisations that often work collaboratively to solve some of the world’s most difficult illnesses and diseases.
Modern Public Health has contributed to an improvement in the health status and quality of life as a result of Non-Governmental Organisations like The World Health Organization. There have also been many governmental agencies at the local, state and national level of all countries that are responsible for the improvement of health. These organizations often work collaboratively to prevent and treat some of the world’s biggest health problems. The work requires the expertise of various professionals such as doctors, nurses, public health officers, occupational health and safety as well as many others. They participate in educational campaigns, treat the actual disease or work on ways of preventing illness and health problems. For example, if a person came from the past back into the future, they would notice a significant decline in the number of smoking related illnesses in western countries. This is not only as a result of better medicine but also because of education campaigns and arguably the taxing of cigarettes.
The modern public health system has replaced traditional ways for societies to address public health concerns. Before the modern public health system that most people are now accustomed to, it was the church that would often advise of proper sexual practices or those behaviours that inhibit human health like the drinking of alcohol, eating excessively and many other destructive behaviours. Ancient societies also were tied to religion but also attempted to explain the spread of disease through scientific means. For example, in Ancient Greece Hippocrates wrote ‘Air, Water and Places’; a book showing the relationship between disease and what was going on around the individual.
Disease was one of the most important historical phenomena responsible for the development of public health responses. Many ancient societies like the Greeks and Romans were aware of the need to provide sanitation for the prevention of disease and health problems. This is evident by the number of large engineering projects that included sewers and drainage in these societies. Better organized public health started to become prevalent after black death caused widespread deaths throughout Europe. For example, in 1485 the Republic of Venice established a Permanent Court of Health Supervisors in order to stop epidemics in the territory. A Grand Council was also established in 1537 and two judges were appointed to oversee it. Later epidemics like cholera also resulted in a better organization of public health that devastated England in the 1800’s that focused on the management of the disease by looking at the spread in public areas where the disease could circulate.
Modern Public Health also reacted to the spread of disease throughout the Industrial Revolution. Poor housing and sanitation resulted in advice from prominent writers such as Jeremy Bentham and Thomas Malthus. They warned officials of illness and disease due to overpopulation of the slums. The result was new engineering and public health policies created by the Poor Law Commission that began to deal with the effects of disease in the slums due to poor sanitation. Later legislation such as the Public Health Act of 1848 continued to improve sanitation throughout towns in England.
Public health is a multidisciplinary area of health that uses the expertise of various professions including doctors, nurses, educators, sociologists, dentists and many more. It also collaborates local and international efforts to address areas of public health. For example, the World Health Organisation recognizes that smoking related illnesses are ending the life of millions of people early due to associated diseases. Countries have worked with The World Health Organization to educate their citizens about the harmful effects of smoking. Public Health is unique because it attempts to solves issues that are beyond the capabilities of one health discipline. Stopping people smoking requires research, attempts to prevent and educate citizens of the dangers before they arise. This is unlike traditional health disciplines like medicine that are often more reactive than proactive by treating patients but having little to do with the prevention of health issues unless the patient has a long relationship with those in the medical profession. Public Health also monitors the health of large amounts of people in communities, regions or countries unlike many health professions. For example, there has been a recent breakout of STDs in a community and there are concerns that there will be an increase. Public Health officials from the government may try proactive strategies of dealing with the outbreak such as educating, conducting studies and distributing condoms. At the same time public health officials prepare those in the medical profession by dispersing information to those responsible for treatment. Without coordinated public health in this situation it may result in sporadic treatment of individuals and a lack of knowledge about how to deal with an outbreak of STDs in a designated area resulting in more cases that are severe and long lasting.
Public Health has been responsible for longer life expectancies and an improvement in the health of individuals throughout the world. Some examples include better sexual health through safe sex practices that can prevent HIV and aids. Other examples include but are not limited to education about the harmful effects of smoking on individuals from the World Health Organization in coordination with governments throughout the world. Many events throughout history have shaped the development of public health and the most significant has been the spread of incurable diseases such as black death and cholera resulting from poor sanitation or slum housing. Public Health differs to other health disciplines in that it is an expansive discipline that uses the expertise of many health professions and uses proactive strategies to prevent diseases through collaborative efforts from the local to global level. It coordinates health experts and can react to research of health problems in certain areas quickly by preparing health officials with information so that they can react to health problems efficiently.

References

Britannica, E. (2016). Public health .
Fraser, B. (1975). World Health.
Fraser, D. (2009). The Evolution of the British Welfare State: A History of Social Policy Since the Industrial Revolution. United Kingdom: Macmillian Education.