Public Health

This dictionary covers terms used in public health science and practice, including areas such as communicable disease control, epidemiology, genetics, nutrition, toxicology, social work, sanitation and public health engineering, environmental sciences, and administration. It offers definitions, discussion, and an occasional brief commentary on the relevance of each term to people and their health.

What is public health and how has it changed over time? What strategies are in place to address population health? This book examines debates around the social context of health, including key socio-economic, environmental, and cultural factors. It is suitable for students undertaking courses in health studies, public health, and social policy.

This dictionary offers jargon-free entries on food, nutrition, diet, and health that clearly explain even the most technical of nutritional terms. From abalone to zymogens, its coverage spans types of food (including both everyday and little-known foods), nutritional information, vitamins, minerals, and key scientific areas including metabolism and genomics.

The purpose of public and community health is to improve the health of populations or groups rather than concentrating on individuals. This book examines the ethical issues associated with public and community health. The contributors analyze the major ethical issues in public health—prioritization, public participation, health promotion and screening— all of which reflect current practice in the UK. They examine what health services should be available, who should have access to which health services, what are the best strategies for preventing disease, how can professional and public views be reconciled and when can an individual's health needs override the choice of a community.

How can society most effectively prevent disease and promote health? That is the challenge addressed by this textbook. Public health is the art and science of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organised efforts of society. The 'science' is concerned with making a diagnosis of a population's health problems, establishing their cause and determining effective interventions. The 'art' lies in creatively addressing these problems. Essential Public Health captures both the art and science of the field. Examples are taken from health systems throughout the world, giving readers a wider perspective of the challenges faced.