TURNOCK READING ROOM

Preface to: Essentials of Public Health

Turnock BJ---Division of Community Health Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health

Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Sudbury MA, 2007

The first five chapters cover important concepts and information on what public health is in 21st century America . Basic concepts underlying public health are presented in Chapter 1, including definitions, historical highlights, and unique features of public health. This and subsequent chapters focus largely on public health in the United States , although information on global public health and comparisons among nations appear in Chapters 2 and 3. Health and illness and the various factors that influence health and quality of life are discussed in Chapter 2. This chapter also presents data and information on health status and risk factors in the United States and introduces a method for analyzing health problems to identify their precursors. Chapter 3 addresses the overall health system and its intervention strategies, with a special emphasis on trends and developments that are important to public health. It highlights interfaces between public health and a rapidly changing health system. Chapter 4 examines the organization of public health responsibilities in the United States by reviewing its legal basis and the current structure of public health agencies at the federal, state, and local levels. Chapter 5 focuses on the emergency preparedness and response roles of public health, including the opportunities afforded by increased public health expectations and a substantial influx of federal funding. Together, these five chapters serve as a primer on what public health is and how it relates to health interests in modern America .

But public health is more than concepts and organizations. Its important work is carried out by a diverse and committed workforce. Chapters 6 through 13 examine key aspects of the work of different public health occupations and titles in order to provide an understanding of the basic underpinnings of public health jobs and careers. Despite an increasing recognition of its importance, there is little information available on the public health workforce in terms of its size, distribution, composition, skills, and impact on health goals. Chapter 6 examines overall trends affecting the public health workforce. Key characteristics for occupations and careers in public health practice are defined and explained in this chapter. This framework of career characteristics becomes the lens through which to examine many of the major occupational categories and career pathways available to public health workers. Chapters 7 through 13 provide basic information on many of those occupational categories and disciplines. The concluding chapter focuses on future implications for public health workers and those considering a career in public health.

Each chapter includes a variety of figures and tables that illustrate the concepts and provide useful resources for public health practitioners. A glossary of public health terminology is provided for the benefit of those unfamiliar with some of the commonly used terms, as well as to convey the intended meaning for terms that may have several different connotations in practice.

The story of public health is not a simple one to tell, in part because public health is broadly involved with the biologic, environmental, social, cultural, behavioral, and service utilization factors associated with health. Still, we all share in the successes and failures of our collective decisions and actions, making us all accountable to each other for the results of our efforts. My hope is that this book will present a broad view of the public health system and those who work within it in order to deter current and future public health workers from narrowly defining public health in terms of only what they do. At its core, the purpose of this book is to describe public health practice simply and clearly in terms of what it is, what it does, and why this work is important to society and fulfilling to those who work in the field on a daily basis.