Public Health
I have attached eight discussion questions. They do not need to be 1 page a piece; each discussion needs at least one reference. If there is any question, please do not hesitate to message me. I also attach an article that is for the 8th discussion question.
1. Without using any formal definitions, please describe your personal definition of public health. Also, provide a brief reflection of a typical day's activities. Analyze these activities from a public health perspective - how is your day impacted by public health practice and/or philosophy? What is the difference between individual health and population health?
2. Why is having a strong understanding in the public health essentials and public health core functions a critical factor in the implementation of community initiatives? Please elaborate in your answer.
3. You receive an offer for a position as a new public health professional for the public health organization that you used during your interview exercise. You are very excited to begin your career in your first role as a public health professional. You are in the "assessment" phase of your new role and learning the various venues of the organization, including the purpose of the agency, population of focus, and current public health programs the agency has initiated. During your first week of orientation, you have learned a great deal about the organization's various departments including Program Planning, Policy Development, and the Research Department if they have one, (which houses the biostatistics and epidemiology subdivisions).
In particular, you are interested in learning more about the Research Department, particularly the types of current research studies conducted to address the needs of the agency's target population. Please elaborate what you have learned about your agency's research studies and how epidemiology and biostatistics are used. Please differentiate between these two core sciences within your post. If no studies are conducted, what are your thoughts about possible studies that could be conducted or ways in which biostatistics or epidemiology could be used to address the agency's target population needs?
4. During the next phase of the orientation with your public health agency, you are learning more about the target population and the different factors that can impact health (e.g., determinants of health). Please elaborate on what you have learned about the behavioral and environmental determinants of health influencing your agency's target population and how these determinants can affect health outcomes within the community.
5. As the orientation with your public health agency progresses, you realize how important your organization is to the health and well-being of the surrounding community. The mainstay of the public health system are the public health organizations and agencies at the national, state, and local levels. These organizations are often directly accountable for diverse public health initiatives and programs.
Please elaborate what on what you have learned about your agency's history and how its primary role or function related to health promotion and prevention may have changed over time. What are some of your agency's main health promotion and prevention activities? If no activities are being conducted, what type of prevention activities do you feel are needed to better address the needs of the agency's target population?
6. As the orientation with your public health agency continues, you are eager to learn more about public health policy. You have connected with various individuals from your agency who are well versed in this area. Please elaborate on what you have learned about policies that are supporting your agency's goals. Describe any associated ethical principles that may be involved that consider the rights of individuals and the needs of society. If no policies have been identified, what governmental policies may have a linkage with your agency's goals?
7. You finally feel you have a strong understanding of the purpose and goals of your public health agency and are ready to embark in your new role. You are excited to learn more about how new initiatives and programs begin at your agency. You are talking to an individual who is a successful public health leader and an expert in evidence-based practice in advancing public health. Which public health leadership essentials are most critical to ensure success as a budding public health professional?
Please also elaborate on what you have learned about your agency's evidence-based practice initiatives in advancing the health of the target population. What are your thoughts about possible initiatives that your agency could conduct in the future, if no evidence-based practice initiatives are being conducted?
8. In the assigned readings for this week, the role that schools can play in disaster preparedness and response is explored. Similarly, schools also serve as a vital part of communities. Discuss the different roles of school and community engagement in assisting to address both current and future public health challenges, including public health disasters.
Discussion Questions
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Discussion Questions
Question One
My personal definition of public health is the field dedicated to improving and protecting the health and well-being of communities. The field addresses various factors influencing health outcomes, such as education and prevention. On a typical day, public health personnel engage in activities such as conducting health assessments. The personnel may also be involved in designing and implementing interventions. These activities are influenced by public health practice and the philosophy of prioritizing community needs. The philosophy also revolves around focusing on prevention and working towards promoting equitable access to healthcare services.
Individual health refers to the well-being and medical status of a single person. On the other hand, population health looks at the health outcomes and determinants of an entire group or community. Population health aims to improve the overall health status and quality of life for the population as a whole.
Question Two
A strong understanding of public health essentials provides the foundational knowledge and principles that guide effective public health practice. These principles encompass concepts such as epidemiology, biostatistics, and health promotion. They also span across environmental and social determinants of health. Understanding these essentials allows public health personnel to assess community needs, identify health disparities, and design targeted interventions.
Secondly, the core functions of public health (assessment, policy development, and assurance) provide a framework for addressing community health issues. Public health professionals gather data on health trends, risks, and resources through systematic assessment. The collection and analysis of data enable evidence-based decision-making. Policy development has been shown to ensure the creation and implementation of effective strategies to improve population health (Sullivan, 2022). In addition, assurance involves ensuring access to essential healthcare services and evaluating the impact of interventions.
Question Three
During my orientation, I learned that our public health organization has a Research Department dedicated to conducting studies. The research studies are geared to address the needs of the local community/ population. Epidemiology is crucial in studying the distribution and determinants of health-related events within the target population. Epidemiological studies help identify patterns of disease occurrence and risk factors. Epidemiology also concerns itself with the impact of interventions.
On the other hand, biostatistics focuses on applying statistical methods in analyzing and interpreting health data (Sullivan, 2022). It helps in the design of studies, collection and analysis of data, and drawing meaningful conclusions. Biostatistics ensures that research findings are valid, reliable, and statistically significant. Therefore, biostatistics provides a quantitative basis for decision-making.
Question Four
During the orientation, I learned about the behavioral and environmental determinants of health for the local community. Behavioral determinants of health refer to individual lifestyle choices. The choices or habits can either promote or hinder health. Some examples are physical activity levels and dietary patterns. Other important determinants are the use of tobacco and alcohol. For our target population, high inactivity levels and poor dietary habits have prompted a sharp rise in obesity-related complications.
Environmental determinants of health encompass the physical, social, and cultural factors in the community that can influence health (Turner-Musa et al., 2020). These factors include aspects such as access to healthcare facilities and the availability of healthy food options. Additionally, exposure to environmental pollutants, social support systems, and socioeconomic conditions are also social determinants of health. One notable environmental determinant of health in the local community is unhealthy food options. This factor undoubtedly affects the community negatively by predisposing individuals to obesity.
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