Organise information to answer key public health questions Promote consistency in describing public health Improve data capture processes and the quality of reporting A public health classification will help to explain what public health is in a way that is recognisable and understood by the average person. It will allow description of the functions of public health, issues of public health concern, the settings in which public health activities occur, the population groups targeted by public health interventions, the resources available to public health, and so on. The process of developing a classification has the potential to unite the sector and improve understanding of the breadth of the public health effort.