Exploring the Evolution of Public Health – Historical Foundations and Their Impact on Today’s Population Health
Public health is the art of applying scientific knowledge in carrying out activities that revolve around disease prevention, health promotion, and improving the quality of life for the members of the public. Key stakeholders that participate in the activities include the members of the public, communities, and public and private organizations (Azari & Borisch, 2023). The key aspects guiding the perceived core functions of public health, such as assessment, policy development, and assurance, are stated below. The first aspect is population focus, which directs public health to address the needs of the entire population rather than individual patients. The second aspect is fostering the achievement of their goal of prevention. The third aspect is the promotion of healthy lifestyles and behaviors through education campaigns, programs, and initiatives to encourage healthy choices and environments. The fourth aspect is health protection, which involves mitigation of health threats. The fifth aspect is the promotion of equity and social justice to reduce health disparities and promote health equity. The sixth aspect is the evidence-based practice that relies on data and scientific research to guide its practices and policies. Lastly, the other aspect is the interdisciplinary approach that encompasses a wide range of disciplines. Examples of activities carried out by public health include vaccination programs, campaigns to reduce tobacco use and promote healthy eating, regulations to ensure clean air and water, emergency response to natural disasters and pandemics, and finally, conducting health research and data analysis to identify health trends and risk factors (Azari & Borisch, 2023).
History of public health
Public health has its history dating from the ancient times when the Greek and Roman citizens focused on hygiene, sanitation, and access to clean water. In the Middle Ages, public health was managed by religious institutions that dealt with outbreaks like the black plague through quarantines and isolation of the sick. In the early modern period, there were advances in the scientific understanding of diseases. In this period, significant contributions were made by individuals such as John Snow. 18th and 19th periods came along with the Industrial Revolution, which led to significant advances in public health. These advancements were followed by the formation of public health institutions such as the American Public Health Association. In the modern era, public health activities benefited from significant advancements, such as when vaccines were invented and the establishment of the World Health Organization (WHO). In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, public health advanced to deal with chronic health conditions such as mental health and lifestyle conditions. Currently, public health entails activities aimed at reducing health disparities, addressing infectious diseases, improving environmental health, and improving health policies (Sullivan-Marx, 2020). The origin of public health originated because of its core functions. Which entails assessment, policy development, and assurance.
Roles and Setting of Public Health Nurses Today
The roles of the community health nurse range from community health education, where nurses educate communities about health practices, disease prevention, and healthy lifestyles. Secondly, it’s the role of the public health nurse to do community disease prevention and control through immunization, management of outbreaks, and implementation of health programs. The third role is health promotion, where public health nurses conduct community health initiatives and programs to promote the health of the community members. The fourth role is exercising policy advocacy that addresses the health outcomes and addresses social determinants of health. Lastly, public health nurses also take part in the direct care of patients, such as providing maternal and child health services. The public health nurse functions in diverse settings where they dispense their services in collaboration with other healthcare providers. These settings include community health centers, where they provide education, screening services, and preventive care. Secondly, public health nurses work in schools to manage health programs and provide health education. Thirdly, public health nurses operate in government agencies at all levels of departments to provide insight into the development of policies. Lastly, public health nurses operate in non-profit organizations that are focused on conducting health promotion activities (Flaubert, 2021).
Comparing Past and Present Public Health Issues
Public health has been jeopardized by a couple of factors that cut across from the past and the issues have been passed up to the present times. These issues form the basis of the past and present similarities. These similarities are infectious diseases that were in the past and still in the present; this is a similarity because in the past, infectious diseases such as cholera were there similar to the present HIV and AIDS. Secondly, sanitation and hygiene have been public health issues in the past, focusing on achieving proper sanitation and clean water. Lastly, health inequities have been a public health issue, cutting across past and present public health (Ziller & Milkowski, 2020).
Differences arise between the past and present in public health at some points, such as in managing chronic diseases, which are more prominent in the present than in the past. The second difference arises due to globalization, which is influenced by global travel and trade, leading to the faster spread of diseases and creating the necessity for global health coordination. Thirdly, the advancement of technology has influenced modern public health in monitoring health trends and developing interventions. Lastly, there is a significant difference between the past and present public health emanating from the changes in the environment, which impact health in various ways, such as the recuperation process and increasing risk factors (Ziller & Milkowski, 2020). However, these changes are significant to the field of public health, and they stick to the primary preventive and promotive roles that improve the quality of life.
References
Azari, R., & Borisch, B. (2023). What is public health? a scoping review. Archives of Public Health, 81(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13690-023-01091-6
Flaubert, J. L. (2021). The Role of Nurses in Improving Health Care Access and Quality. In www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. National Academies Press (US). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK573910/
Sullivan-Marx, E. (2020). Public health nursing: Leading in communities to uphold dignity and further progress. Nursing Outlook, 68(4), 377–379. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.outlook.2020.07.001
Ziller, E., & Milkowski, C. (2020). A Century Later: Rural Public Health’s Enduring Challenges and Opportunities. American Journal of Public Health, 110(11), e1–e9. https://doi.org/10.2105/ajph.2020.305868
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Question 
Public health plays many important roles in your community. From food and water safety, air quality, and the prevention and control of communicable diseases, to the recording of birth and death certificates, surveillance of morbidity and mortality rates, and the inspections of restaurants, campgrounds, swimming pools, and daycare centers, public health system touches the lives of every citizen in the United States. The core functions and essential services performed by public health professionals are numerous and varied, yet each is foundational to the health of the overall population.
Exploring the Evolution of Public Health – Historical Foundations and Their Impact on Today’s Population Health
In this assignment, you will review the historical aspects of public health practice in order to discern its role in promoting the health of populations today. Additionally, you will closely examine the core functions and essential services of public health and how they relate to current healthcare issues in the United States.
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Instructions
1. Review the appropriate rubric to make sure you understand the criteria for earning your grade.
2. Read Chapters 2 and 8, and review Chapters, 1, and 46, in the textbook, Public Health Nursing: Population-centered Health Care in the Community.
3. Visit the “What is Public Health page at the ASPPH website to learn more about the impact of public health, as well as integral public health resources within the United States. Note: This website includes a large amount of information on a wide variety of different topics. Tailor your reading on this website to relevant areas of personal interest.
4. Respond to the following:
a. Discuss the historical significance of public health, its beginnings, and where it is today. Why was public health originated, and how does this origin relate to the three core functions currently guiding public health practice today?
b. Research as many roles and settings as you can identify of the public health nurse today. A minimum of five roles/settings Q Search
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