1.1 Foundations of Public Health and Behavioral Sciences

Public health and behavioral sciences form the backbone of community health initiatives. These fields focus on protecting populations, promoting wellness, and preventing disease through education, policy, and research.

Behavioral and social sciences play a crucial role in understanding how individuals and societies make health decisions. By examining social determinants, health behaviors, and cultural influences, these disciplines help shape effective public health strategies and interventions.

Foundations of Public Health

Core Concepts and Goals

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  Frontiers | Staying True to the Core of Public Health Science in Times of Change View original

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• Public health focuses on protecting and improving the health of communities through education, policy making, and research for disease and injury prevention
• Population health aims to improve the health outcomes of groups of individuals, including the distribution of outcomes within the group
• Health promotion enables people to increase control over their own health through a wide range of social and environmental interventions (education, community development, policy)
• Disease prevention emphasizes preventing the development of chronic diseases and reducing their consequences through early detection, improved diet, exercise, and treatment
• Epidemiology serves as the cornerstone of public health, studying the distribution and determinants of health-related states or events in specified populations (infectious diseases, environmental health hazards, injuries, natural disasters)

Behavioral and Social Sciences

Key Disciplines and Concepts

• Behavioral sciences study individual and group behaviors using scientific methods to understand how people make decisions related to their health (psychology, sociology, anthropology)
• Social sciences examine the relationships between individuals and societies, and how those relationships influence people's behavior and well-being (economics, political science, geography)
• Social determinants of health are the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work, and age that shape their health (income, education, housing, access to healthcare)
• Health behavior refers to a person's beliefs and actions regarding their health and well-being, including individual lifestyle factors (diet, physical activity, substance use)

Influences on Health Outcomes

• Social and economic factors (poverty, discrimination, lack of access to education or healthcare) contribute significantly to health disparities and inequities
• Cultural norms, values, and beliefs shape perceptions of health, illness, and healthcare-seeking behaviors (traditional remedies, trust in medical professionals)
• Public policies and interventions (smoking bans, seatbelt laws, vaccination programs) can promote healthy behaviors and create supportive environments for health
• Interpersonal relationships and social support networks (family, friends, community groups) influence health behaviors and outcomes (encouragement to seek medical care, sharing of health information)

Health Equity

Defining and Achieving Health Equity

• Health equity means that everyone has a fair and just opportunity to be as healthy as possible, requiring removing obstacles to health (poverty, discrimination, powerlessness)
• Achieving health equity involves addressing social determinants of health and reducing disparities in health outcomes between different population groups
• Health equity initiatives focus on increasing access to resources and opportunities that promote health (affordable housing, quality education, safe neighborhoods, nutritious food)
• Collaborations between public health professionals, policymakers, and communities are essential for identifying and addressing health inequities (community-based participatory research, advocacy for policy changes)
• Monitoring and evaluating progress towards health equity requires collecting and analyzing data on health disparities and the effectiveness of interventions (health equity impact assessments, community health needs assessments)