PUBLIC HEALTH – INTRODUCTION HEALTH STATUS OF A POPULATION Liliana Iliescu, MD, PhD

Public health - definition field of medicine and hygiene dealing with the prevention of disease and the promotion of health by government agencies The approach to medicine that is concerned with the health of the community as a whole. Public health is community health. It has been said that: "Health care is vital to all of us some of the time, but public health is vital to all of us all of the time."

Public health - definition Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals." (1920, C.E.A. Winslow) It is concerned with threats to the overall health of a community based on population health analysis.

Public health – mission: fulfill society's interest in assuring conditions in which people can be healthy The three core public health functions are: The assessment and monitoring of the health of communities and populations at risk to identify health problems and priorities; The formulation of public policies designed to solve identified local and national health problems and priorities; To assure that all populations have access to appropriate and cost-effective care, including health promotion and disease prevention services, and evaluation of the effectiveness of that care.

Public health –characteristics: The goal of public health is to improve lives through the prevention and treatment of disease. The United Nations' World Health Organization defines health as "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity." 1. It deals with preventive rather than curative aspects of health 2. It deals with population-level, rather than individual-level health issues

Public health –characteristics: Doctors usually treat individual patients one-on-one for a specific disease or injury. Public health professionals monitor and diagnose the health concerns of entire communities and promote healthy practices and behaviors to assure our populations stay healthy.

MEASUREMENT OF HEALTH STATUS Health is a multi-dimensional concept that is usually measured in terms of: l) absence of physical pain, physical disability, or a condition that is likely to cause death 2) emotional well-being 3) satisfactory social functioning

MEASUREMENT OF HEALTH STATUS Individual health status may be measured by an observer (e.g., a physician), who performs an examination and rates the individual along any of several dimensions, including presence or absence of life-threatening illness, risk factors for premature death, severity of disease, and overall health. Individual health status may also be assessed by asking the person to report his/her health perceptions in the domains of interest, such as physical functioning, emotional well-being, pain or discomfort, and overall perception of health.

MEASUREMENT OF HEALTH STATUS The health of an entire population is determined by aggregating data collected on individuals. The health of an individual is easier to define than the health of a population.

MEASUREMENT OF HEALTH STATUS

MEASUREMENT OF HEALTH STATUS IN A COMMUNITY The measurement of the health status for a given population using a variety of indices, including morbidity, mortality, and available health resources.

MEASUREMENT OF HEALTH STATUS IN A COMMUNITY DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION Average Life Expectancy; Measures of birth and death – infant mortality NATIONAL LEADING CAUSES OF DEATH Vulnerable populations are estimates of individuals in various categories who tend to have poorer health status and more medical needs than the general population

MEASUREMENT OF HEALTH STATUS IN A COMMUNITY – European commission health information Life expectancy Infant mortality Perinatal mortality (foetal deaths plus early neonatal mortality) Standardized death rates Eurostat 65 causes Drug-related deaths HIV/AIDS Lung cancer Breast cancer (Low) birth weight Injuries: road traffic Injuries: workplace Self-perceived health Prevalence of any chronic illness Health expectancy, based on limitation of usual activities

Human Development Index Human development can be viewed as the process of achieving an optimum level of health and well-being. It includes physical, biological, mental, emotional, social, educational, economic, and cultural components. Only some of these are expressed in the Human Development Index, a composite scale that has three dimensions: life expectancy at birth adult literacy rate and mean years of schooling income as measured by real gross domestic product per capita Like all one-dimensional scales that attempt to measure multiple complex variables, it is flawed by inherent inaccuracies, but it is nonetheless a useful comparative measure of the well-being of a population.

QUALITY OF LIFE The term quality of life is used to evaluate the general well-being of individuals and societies. The term is used in a wide range of contexts, including the fields of international development, healthcare, and politics. Quality of life should not be confused with the concept of standard of living, which is based primarily on income (financial terms). Instead, standard indicators of the quality of life include not only wealth and employment, but also the built environment, physical and mental health, education, recreation and leisure time, and social belonging.

QUALITY OF LIFE Organizations such as the World Bank, for example, declare a goal of "working for a world free of poverty", with poverty defined as a lack of basic human needs, such as food, water, shelter, freedom, access to education, healthcare, or employment.

Quality of Life Research Unit, University of Toronto B E I N G Physical Being Being physically able to get around. My nutrition and the food I eat. Psychological Being Being free of worry and stress. The mood I am usually in. Spiritual Being Having hope for the future. My own ideas of right and wrong. B E L O N G I N G Physical Belonging The house or apartment I live in. The neighborhood I live in. Social Belonging Being close to people in my family. Having a spouse or special person. Community Belonging Being able to get professional services (medical, social, etc.) Having enough money. B E C O M I N G Practical Becoming Doing things around my house. Working at a job/ going to school. Leisure Becoming Outdoor activities (walks, cycling, etc.) Indoor activities (TV, cycling, etc.) Growth Becoming Improving my physical health and fitness. Being able to cope with changes in my life.

World map showing the Quality of Life Scores (max=10) x 8. 000 - 8 World map showing the Quality of Life Scores  (max=10)     x 8.000 - 8.999      x7.000 - 7.999       x 6.000 - 6.999      x 5.000 - 5.999       x 4.000 - 4.999      x 3.000 - 3.999      x No Data

Thank you! Ignorance is a disease!