Public Health Analysis

Community members in Palestine, a city in Anderson County in the United States in the state of Texas, experience different public health issues, such as teenage pregnancies. Studies show that teenage pregnancy rates 22.4 births per 1000 females among 15 to 19-year-old females in Texas (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2021). Government and health agencies are responsible for solving national, local, and state public health issues. Each government level has specific roles in public health (Edemekong & Tenny, 2021).

The Structure of Various Levels of Government

The United States National Government Public Health Service under the Department of Health and Human Services is the central public health National unit, including the Food and Drug Administration (F.D.A.), Centers for Disease Control (C.D.C.), Health Resources and Services Administration, National Institutes of Health (N.I.H.), Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, and Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration. The state Public Health Service structures depend on whether the health agencies are independent or superagencies. The local government departments are structured based on authority and jurisdiction. The departments serve one county, several counties, or municipalities (Edemekong & Tenny, 2021).

Functions of the Different Levels of Government

The national government has a massive role in the public health system. The federal government is tasked with the protection and security of the nation’s health against international health threats, regulation, setting guidelines and policies, conducting and supporting research, promoting service delivery, allocation of resources and technical assistance to local and state health systems, partnering with global and international health systems, and assessing the health needs of the population. The national government can perform its roles in the public health system via the power to spend on general welfare and tax and through the federal government’s power to regulate interstate commerce. The federal government applies its power to regulate interstate commerce in activities such as labeling substances as hazardous and regulating the importation of medicines. The federal government serves public health interests under different agencies such as Food and Nutrition and Environmental Protection. The federal government’s power to spend for general welfare and tax allows the government to finance and sustain Medicaid and Medicare through the Health Care Financing Administration. C.D.C. and N.I.H. are responsible for epidemiologic research, policy research, health service research, and assessment (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2021).

States such as Texas are responsible for resource development, implementation of national and state policies, management of health crises, monitoring health services, setting standards and policies, and monitoring health practices in the state. The secretary of health or health commissioner leads every state—states form boards whose members are tasked with spending and policymaking. Agencies include mental health agencies, Medicaid agencies, and environmental agencies. The agencies have assigned roles based on regulations, service populations, health problems, and ecological services. The government at the local level ensures direct health service delivery to the people. The provincial government is responsible for screening and immunization programs, sanitation, maternal and child health programs, inspection, ambulatory care services, infectious disease control programs, public health education and sensitization, and mental health programs. Local government receives authority and approval from local jurisdictions and the state.

Collaboration of the Different Levels of Government

The different levels of government work together through partnerships focusing on public health (Edemekong & Tenny, 2021). The national and state governments delegate duties to the local government. The federal government oversees activities in the state government and local government, while the state government oversees activities in the local government. The provincial government informs the state of the population’s needs and crises experienced. Every level of government must be held accountable for its tasks.

References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). Ten essential public health services. https://www.cdc.gov/publichealthgateway/publichealthservices/essentialhealthservices.html

Edemekong, P.F., & Tenny, S. (2021). Public Health. StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470250

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Question

From a superficial perspective, addressing public health issues comes down to identifying problems through assessment of public health, developing policies to improve the issue, and securing access to the services needed (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2021). But confronting public health issues is a complex process involving politics, government, research often conducted through universities, and many other factors. For this assignment, you will analyze the role of government in public health.

Public Health Analysis

Preparing for This Assignment:
Choose one public health issue prevalent in your community (Palestine, TX). You will also use this issue for the Week 3 – Summative Assessment: P.E.R.I.E. Model Presentation.

Research national, state, and local government health agency websites for information on your chosen public health issue.

Assignment Directions:
Write a 350- to 700-word analysis of your findings in which you analyze the structure and function of public health at national, state, and local levels. In your analysis, identify:
The type of structures present at the various levels of government
The functions of each level of government
How the levels of government work together

Cite specific examples from your research to validate your points.