Lecture 1 Public Health

PUBLIC HEALTH
Concepts and principles

of public health and
preventive medicine Dr.Sarkhell Araz
MSc. Public health/Epidemiology
PhD public health
Theory Quizzes
Total Final Sub-total Mid-Exam
Activities
(100%) (60%) (40%) 30%
10%
2
Objectives:
• Define health and describe the different concepts and

perspectives of Health.
• Describe determinants of health.
• Define and describe public health.
• Define outbreak an endemic, an epidemic or a
pandemic.
• Hallmarks of Public Health.
3
Define health
The world Health Organization (WHO) described

health in1948, in the preamble to its constitution, as
“A state of complete physical, mental, and social

well-being and not merely the absence of disease or
infirmity”.
4
• Recently this statement has been expanded to include the ability to
lead a “socially and economically productive life”.
• The World Health Organization definition of health cannot be

considered as an operational definition because it does not lend
itself to direct measurement. In order to overcome this lacuna a
WHO group has devised an operational definition of health.
5
• According to this definition, the concept of health is viewed as
being of two orders. In broader sense health can be defined as
“a condition or quality of the human organism expressing
the adequate functioning of the organism in given
conditions, genetic or environmental” As evident from the
above definitions, health is multidimensional.
• The WHO definition envisages three specific dimensions

(physical, mental, and social), some other dimensions like
spiritual, emotional may also be included.
Physical health
Is concerned with anatomical integrity and physiological functioning

of the body. It means the ability to perform routine tasks without any
physical restriction. E.g., Physical fitness is needed to walk from
place to place.
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Mental Health
Is the ability to learn and think clearly and coherently. E.g., a person
who is not mentally fit (retarded) could not learn something new at
a pace in which an ordinary normal person learns.
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Social health
Is the ability to make and maintain acceptable interaction with

other people. E.g. to celebrate during festivals; to mourn when a
close family member dies; to create and maintain friendship and
intimacy, etc.
9
Emotional health
Is the ability of expressing emotions in the appropriate way, for

example to fear, to be happy, and to be angry.
The response of the body should be congruent with that of the stimuli.
Emotional health is related to mental health and includes feelings. It
also means maintaining one’s own integrity in the presence of
stressful situation such as tension, depression and anxiety.
10
Spiritual Health
Some people relate health with religion; for others it has to do with
personal values, beliefs, principles and ways of achieving mental
satisfaction, in which all are related to their spiritual wellbeing.
11
Determinants of health
• Determinants of health: Health or ill health is the result of a combination of
different factors. There are different perspectives in expressing the determinants
of health of an individual or a community.
• The health field concept according to the “Health field” concept. There are four
major determinants of health or ill health.
• A. Human Biology Every Human being is made of genes. In addition, there are
factors, which are genetically transmitted from parents to offspring. As a result,
there is a chance of transferring defective trait. The modern medicine does not
have a significant role in these cases.
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a. Genetic Counseling: For instance during marriage parents could be made
aware of their genetic component in order to overcome some risks that
could arise.
b. Genetic Engineering: may have a role in cases like Breast cancer.
B. Environment: is all that which is external to the individual human host.

Those are factors outside the human body. Environmental factors that could
influence health include:
a. Life support, food, water, air etc
b. Physical factors, climate, Rain fall
c. Biological factors: microorganisms, toxins, Biological waste,
d. Psycho-social and economic e.g. Crowding, income level, access to health
care
e. Chemical factors: industrial wastes, agricultural wastes, air pollution, etc
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C. Life style (Behavior): is an action that has a specific frequency, duration, and
purpose, whether conscious or unconscious. It is associated with practice. It is
what we do and how we act.
Recently life style by itself received an increased amount of attention as a major

determinant of health.
Life style of individuals affects their health directly or indirectly. For example:
Cigarette smoking
Unsafe sexual practice
Eating contaminated food
D. Health care organization Health care organizations in terms of their resource

in human power, equipments, money and so on determine the health of people.
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Effecting health of community
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Introduction to Public Health
1. Public Health Definition and Key Terms

2. History of Public Health
3. A Public Health Approach
4. Core Functions and Essential Services of Public Health
5. Stakeholder Roles in Public Health
6. Determining and Influencing the Public’s Health

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PUBLIC HEALTH

Concepts and principles

• Define health and describe the different concepts and

The world Health Organization (WHO) described

“A state of complete physical, mental, and social

• The World Health Organization definition of health cannot be

• The WHO definition envisages three specific dimensions

Is concerned with anatomical integrity and physiological functioning

Is the ability to make and maintain acceptable interaction with

Is the ability of expressing emotions in the appropriate way, for

b. Genetic Engineering: may have a role in cases like Breast cancer.

B. Environment: is all that which is external to the individual human host.

Recently life style by itself received an increased amount of attention as a major

D. Health care organization Health care organizations in terms of their resource

1. Public Health Definition and Key Terms

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