What is Public Health? “Public health is what we, as a society, do collectively to assure the conditions in which people can be healthy. This requires that continuing and emerging threats to the health of the public be successfully countered.”

What’s the Difference Between Public Health and Medicine? Primary focus is on populations and preventing illness Medicine Primary focus is on individual patients and caring for the sick

Ten Great Public Health Achievements United States 1900 - 1999

Epidemic An occurrence in which a disease spreads very quickly and affects a large number of people A sudden quickly spreading occurrence of something harmful or unwanted

Epidemics Recent Epidemics: Epidemics of the Past Ebola SARS Avian Influenza (H7H9) Epidemics of the Past Smallpox Plague Polio

Smoking, Obesity, Lack of Physical Exercise Today 34 percent of high school seniors smoke at least monthly, up from 28 percent in 1991 In the U.S. today, 400,000 Americans die annually from smoking related illnesses Today 30% of youth are overweight 63% of high school students said they didn’t exercise for at least 60 minutes (recommended amount) every day

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults BRFSS, 1985 (*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person) No Data <10% 10%–14%

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults BRFSS, 1991 (*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person) No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19%

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults BRFSS, 1997 (*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person) No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% ≥20

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults BRFSS, 1999 (*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person) No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% ≥20

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults BRFSS, 2001 (*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person) No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% 20%–24% ≥25%

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. Adults BRFSS, 2004 (*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs overweight for 5’ 4” person) We have never had an epidemic like this that we have been able to track so thoroughly and see. As I told you, this is conservative. About 60 million adults, or 30 percent of the adult population, are now obese, which represents a doubling of the rate since 1980. No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% 20%–24% ≥25%

Fields of Public Health Epidemiology Health Education Health Systems and Policy Environmental Health

Public Health… Being prepared for whatever might happen next!

Examples Public Health Research Epidemiology Does Needle Exchange in NJ Stop the Spread of HIV Infection Health Systems and Policy How Can We Reshape the Health System to Lower Health Care Costs in Camden Health Education What’s the Impact of New Taxes on Tobacco Snuff on Use Environmental and Occupational Health Air Quality Monitoring at the Beijing Olympics

New Jersey needs more public health professionals New Jersey needs more public health professionals. NJ ranks 42 out of the 50 states in terms of the size of its public health workforce.

Examples of Careers in Public Health Local and state health departments Federal—Centers for Disease Control, Public Health Service International—World Health Organization Academia—teaching and research at the undergraduate and graduate level Private industry—pharmaceutical companies Hospitals and clinics, community based organizations

Undergraduate Programs Rutgers—Undergraduate degree in Public Health or Health Sciences Richard Stockton—Undergraduate degree in Public Health Camden Community College—course—Introduction to Public Health

Let’s Look at How a Disease Spreads in a Population