Public Health and Healthcare (C-2)

Title

Public Health and Healthcare (C-2)

Description

"We all have an obligation as citizens of this earth to leave the world a healthier, cleaner, and better place for our children and future generations."

-Blythe Danner, American Actress
 
Public health focuses on protecting and improving the human condition, and prolonging life.  It necessitates public investment in education, promotion of healthy lifestyles, and research for disease and injury prevention, among others. Public health agencies at both state and local levels are central to effective public health and health care systems. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), such systems involve “all public, private, and voluntary entities that contribute to the delivery of essential public health services within a jurisdiction.”

Elected officials and law enforcement officers play an important role in the development and regulation of public health and healthcare policy. A number of public health professionals, strive every day delivering services to protect the health of our families and communities, whether working in hospitals, nursing homes, emergency management services, schools or mental health facilities. Volunteers from charitable and philanthropic organizations also contribute a lot to ensure that public health and health care goals are met in places where resource constraints might present impediments. CDC also places emphasis on the important role of youth development organizations, recreation and arts-related organizations in supporting public health.

CDC has formulated a set of 10 essential public health and health care services that provide the framework for determining how well a jurisdiction is doing at assessing the performance of its system. Broadly these fit under policy development, assurance, and assessment. They include monitoring the public’s health status, investigating and diagnosing health problems, public awareness, enforcing laws and regulations that support public health and health care efforts, assuring a competent workforce, and continuous research and innovation to keep abreast of health problems.

In the additional resources section to the right is a collection of related public service narratives "Ask me why I care,"under "Tell your story." They were curated by the University of Nebraska at Omaha College of Public Affairs and Community Service in a Public Service Stories Project. Project Co-Directors are Dr. Mary Hamilton and Ms. Rita Paskowitz. The collection includes videos and Suggested Assignments for Students.

Collection Items

Dorothea Dix
Dorothea Lynde Dix (April 4, 1802- July 17. 1887) was born to Joseph and Mary Dix in Hampden, Maine at the beginning of the 19th century. Later in life, she described her childhood as being filled with poverty and loneliness. At a young age she left…

William B Sawyer
Dr. William B. Sawyer (1886-1950), the first black medical professional in southern Florida, has been recognized as an important figure in the early 20th century development of Miami’s African American community. Born in northern Florida, Sawyer…

WHO / Global campaign for violence prevention
The Global Campaign for Violence Prevention promotes the adoption of a public health approach to violence prevention, and provides a platform for collaboration and the exchange of information between actors at global and country level. It focuses on…

Super Size Me
The Academy Award nominated film Super Size Me is a 2004 American documentary film directed by and starring Morgan Spurlock. This film follows him throughout the period of a month, during which he only ate McDonald's food, thereby showing the…

World Health Organization Established in 1948
"The World Health Organization (WHO) was established in 1948 on April 7th, now known as World Health Day, the World Health Organization was first discussed when diplomats met to form the United Nations in 1945. Its role is to provide leadership on…

Public Health Posters
In midcentury, public health groups took cues from the advertising industry to warn of various health risks. A retrospective of 20th-century health posters features work from numerous countries on an array of diseases.

Public Health Doctor
Artist Jose Perez published a series of his satirical paintings, including "The Public Health Doctor," where he caricatures former U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop, who holds a tablet containing the Public Health Commandments.

Public Health Poster
In midcentury, public health groups took cues from the advertising industry to warn of various health risks. A retrospective of 20th-century health posters features work from numerous countries on an array of diseases

AIDS Education Posters
AIDS education poster advocating condom use and aimed toward educating people about HIV/AIDS prevention, risks, social advocacy, and compassion for those affected.

Nurse the Baby
This poster promotes proper child care and breastfeeding technique, encouraging women to talk to their doctor and educate themselves through Health Bureau publications. Posters such as these, created through the Federal Arts Project under the Works…
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