Public Health 101 Series

Instructor name

Title

Organization 

Introduction to Public 

Health

Note: This slide set is in the public domain and may be customized as needed by 

the user for informational or educational purposes. Permission from the Centers for 

Disease Control and Prevention is not required, but citation of the source is 

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Introduction to Public Health

1. Public Health Definition and Key Terms

2. History of Public Health

3. A Public Health Approach

4. Core Functions and Essential Services of Public Health

5. Stakeholder Roles in Public Health 

6. Determining and Influencing the Public’s Health

Course Topics

2 
• describe the purpose of public health

• define key terms used in public health

• identify prominent events in the history of public health

• recognize the core public health functions and services 

• describe the role of different stakeholders in the field of 

public health

• list some determinants of health

• recognize how individual determinants of health affect 

population health

After this course, you will be able to

Learning Objectives

3 
Public Health Definition 

and Key Terms

Topic 1

4 
“The science and art of preventing 

disease, prolonging life, and promoting 

health through the organized efforts 

and informed choices of society, 

organizations, public and private 

communities, and individuals.”

—CEA Winslow

Public Health Defined

Photo: IF Fisher and EL Fisk 

Winslow CEA. The untilled field of public health. Mod Med 1920;2:183–91. 5 
“Public health aims to 

provide maximum benefit for 

the largest number of 

people.” 

—World Health Organization

“Fulfilling society’s interest 

in assuring conditions in 

which people can be 

healthy.” 

—Institute of Medicine

The Mission of Public Health

6 
Public Health Key Terms

determinant: factor that contributes to the generation of a trait. 

epidemic or outbreak: occurrence in a community or region of cases 

of an illness, specific health-related behavior, or other health-related 

event clearly in excess of normal expectancy. Both terms are used 

interchangeably; however, epidemic usually refers to a larger 

geographic distribution of illness or health-related events.

health outcome: result of a medical condition that directly 

affects the length or quality of a person’s life.

clinical care: prevention, treatment, and management of illness and 

the preservation of mental and physical well-being through the services 

offered by medical and allied health professions; also known as health 

care. 

Stedman TL, ed. Stedman’s medical dictionary. 28th ed. Baltimore, MD: Lippincott, Williams, and Wilkins; 2006. 

Farlex, Inc. The free dictionary. Huntingdon Valley, PA: Farlex, Inc.; 2014. Available at: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/. 7 
Public health aims to provide ___________________ 

with the right to be healthy and live in conditions 

that support health. 

groups of people

Fill in the blank with the correct answer.

A. groups of people B. individuals 

Knowledge Check

8 
A(n) ________________________ is a disease 

occurrence among a population that is in 

excess of what is expected for a given time 

and place.

Fill in the blank with the correct answer.

D. prevention

A. pandemic B. intervention 

C. epidemic or outbreak

epidemic or outbreak

Knowledge Check

9 
The History of Public Health

Topic 2

10
Sanitation and Environmental Health

500 BCE 1840s 

The Environmental 

Protection Agency

was founded

The Public Health 

Act of 1848 was 

established in the 

United Kingdom

Greeks and Romans

practice community

sanitation measures

1970 

11
Pandemics

Influenza 

500 million infected

worldwide in 1918

Polio

Vaccine introduced

in 1955; eradication

initiative launched in

1988

34 million living with

HIV worldwide; 20% 

decline in new 

infections since 2001

HIV

12
Preparedness for Disaster Response

Biologic

Warfare

Plague used as a

weapon of war during

the Siege of Kaffa

September 

2001 

Public health 

surveillance

conducted after 

the 9/11 attacks

Hurricane 

Katrina 

Emergency services,

public health 

surveillance, and 

disease treatment

provided

13
Prevention Through Policy

Book

of Leviticus

The world’s

first written

health code

Tobacco

Laws

Laws banning smoking 

in public places

Obesity

Food labeling and 

promotion of physical 

activity

14
Which of the following events in public health history 

have been pandemics? (Select all that apply) 

D. Hurricane Katrina 

B. Influenza 

A. Siege of Kaffa 

C. Polio 

Knowledge Check

15
A Public Health Approach

Topic 3

16
A Public Health Approach

Surveillance Risk Factor 

Identification

Intervention

Evaluation Implementation

17
Public Health Core Sciences

18
Cholera — A Public Health Approach

Cholera, a fatal intestinal 

disease, was rampant during 

the early 1800s in London, 

causing death to tens of 

thousands of people in the 

area. Cholera was 

commonly thought to be 

caused by bad air from 

rotting organic matter.

Photo: TJ Kirn, MJ Lafferty, CMP Sandoe, and R Taylor,

Dartmouth Medical School

19
John Snow, Physician

John Snow is best known for 

his work tracing the source of 

the cholera outbreak and is 

considered the father of 

modern epidemiology.

Photo: London School of Hygiene 

and Tropical Medicine

20
Epidemiology — What is the Problem?

Cluster of Cholera Cases, London — 1854

Image: The Geographical Journal

21
Cluster of Cholera Cases and Pump Site Locations

Risk Factor Identification — What Is the Cause?

Image: The Geographical Journal

22
• stop exposure to the contaminated water 

supply on a larger scale, and

Intervention Evaluation — What Works?

• stop exposure to the entire supply of 

contaminated water in the area

Through continuous research, Snow understood what 

interventions were required to

23
Implementation — How Do You Do It?

John Snow’s research convinced 

the British government that the 

source of cholera was water 

contaminated with sewage

Photo: Justin Cormack

24
Fill in the blanks with the correct answers. 

Each public health core science helps us to 

___________ and _________ the public’s health by 

providing public health practitioners with the 

answers they need.

protect promote 

Knowledge Check

25
Match each component of the public health approach 

with the questions they answer.

A. Risk Factor Identification B. Surveillance

C. Implementation D. Intervention Evaluation

1. What is the problem?

2. What is the cause?

3. What works?

4. How do you do it?

B. Surveillance

A. Risk Factor Identification

D. Intervention Evaluation

C. Implementation

Knowledge Check

26
Core Functions

and Essential Services 

of Public Health

Topic 4

27
Three Core Functions of Public Health

Assessment

Assurance

Systematically collect, analyze, 

and make available information 

on healthy communities

Promote the use of a scientific 

knowledge base in policy and 

decision making

Ensure provision of services to 

those in need

Institute of Medicine. The future of public health. Washington, DC: National Academies Press; 1988. 28

Policy

Development 
1. Monitor Health

2. Diagnose and Investigate

3. Inform, Educate, Empower

4. Mobilize Community Partnership

5. Develop Policies

6. Enforce Laws

7. Link to/Provide Care

8. Assure a Competent Workforce

9. Evaluate

10. Research 

Ten Essential Public Health Services

29
Core Functions at Government Levels

30

Assessment

Policy

Development Assurance

Federal

State

Local

National tobacco 

public health

surveillance 

Smoking ban

on commercial 

flights 

Federal grants

for antismoking

research

Monitor state 

tobacco use

Increase 

tobacco tax

Funding 

for campaign 

through

Proposition 99

Report on local 

tobacco use

County laws

prohibiting 

smoking in bars

Resources to help 

smokers quit

in multiple 

languages
Which of the following is NOT a core function of public 

health? 

D. Policy development

B. Assessment

A. Assurance

C. Authority

Knowledge Check

31
B. Assessment

A. Assurance

C. Policy Development

The essential health services of monitoring health and 

diagnosing and investigating disease relate to which 

core public health function? 

Knowledge Check

32
Stakeholder Roles

in Public Health

Topic 5

33
Partners in the Public Health System

Institute of Medicine. The future of the public's health in the 21st century. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press; 2002. 

Ensuring the Conditions 

for Population Health

Community

Clinical Care

Delivery System

Government

Public Health

Infrastructure

Employers 

and Businesses

Academia The Media

34
Nongovernmental Organization Examples

Institute of Medicine. Who will keep the public healthy? Workshop summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press; 2003. 35

Organization Type Example 

Professional membership 

organizations

American Public Health

Association

Associations related to a 

specific health concern

American Cancer Society

Organizations of citizens 

focused on health concerns

Americans for Nonsmokers 

Rights

Foundations that support 

health projects and influence 

public policy development

Bill and Melinda Gates 

Foundation
Health Care as a Partner in Public Health

36

Public Health Health Care

Population focus Individual patient focus

Public health ethic Personal service ethic

Prevention or public 

health emphasis

Diagnosis and treatment 

emphasis

Joint laboratory 

and field involvement

Joint laboratory 

and patient involvement

Clinical sciences peripheral 

to professional training

Clinical sciences essential to 

professional training

Public sector basis Private sector basis
Other Partners in Public Health

Media

• Vehicle for public discourse

• Health education and promotion

• Health communication

• Social media as catalyst

Employers

and Businesses

• Employer-sponsored health insurance 

programs

• Wellness initiatives and benefits

• Healthy workplaces and communities

Government 

Agencies

• City planning

• Education

• Health in all policies

Academia

• Education

• Training

• Research

• Public Service

37
Match each stakeholder to its role in public health.

1. Vehicle for public discourse

4. Wellness initiatives and benefits

2. Health in all policies

3. Education and training

A. Academia B. Employers and businesses 

C. Government D. Media

A. Academia

B. Employers and businesses 

C. Government

D. Media

Knowledge Check

38
Determining and Influencing the Public’s Health

Topic 6

39
• Genes and biology

• Health behaviors

• Social or societal 

characteristics 

• Health services or medical 

care 

Health Determinants

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Social determinants of health. http://www.cdc.gov/socialdeterminants/FAQ.html. 40
What Determines the Health of a Population?

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Social determinants of health. http://www.cdc.gov/socialdeterminants/FAQ.html.

Genes and Biology

Health Behaviors

Medical Care

Social/Societal

Characteristics;

Total Ecology

41
Health Impact Pyramid

Frieden TR. Framework for public health action: the health impact pyramid. Am J Public Health 2010;100:590–5. 42
Health Impact Pyramid

Frieden TR. Framework for public health action: the health impact pyramid. Am J Public Health 2010;100:590–5. 43
List the four determinants of health.

Knowledge Check

1.

2.

3.

4.

Genes and biology

Health behaviors

Social/societal characteristics

Health services or medical care

44
Fill in the blanks using the following 

choices.

As we move the health impact 

pyramid, the public health impact grows 

greater.

As we move the health impact 

pyramid, the amount of individual effort 

increases. 

A. down B. up

1.

2. 

down 

up

Knowledge Check

45
Public Health Core Sciences

46
• describe the purpose of public health

• define key terms used in public health

• identify prominent events in the history of public health

• recognize the core public health functions and services 

• describe the role of different stakeholders in the field of 

public health

• list some determinants of health

• recognize how individual determinants of health affect 

population health

During this course, you learned to

Course Summary

47
QUESTIONS? 

48
• American public health Association (APHA). The Prevention and public health Fund: a critical 

investment in our nation’s physical and fiscal health. APHA Center for Health Policy Issue Brief. 

Washington, DC: APHA; 2012. http://www.apha.org/NR/rdonlyres/8FA13774-AA47-43F2-838B1B0757D111C6/0/APHA_PrevFundBrief_June2012.pdf. 

• California Department of public health. TabaccoFreeCA. http://www.Tobaccofreeca.org. 

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Key facts about seasonal flu vaccine. 

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/keyfacts.htm.

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Overweight and obesity. 

http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/index.html. 

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Social determinants of health. 

http://www.cdc.gov/socialdeterminants/FAQ.html.

• Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. National health expenditure projections: 2008–

2018. http://www.cms.gov/Research-Statistics-Data-and-Systems/Statistics-Trends-andReports/NationalHealthExpendData/downloads/proj2008.pdf.

• Dean H. Introduction to public health, epidemiology, and surveillance. Presented at the CDC 

Science Ambassador Program, July 16, 2012.

• Frieden, TR. Framework for public health action: the health impact pyramid. Am J public health 

2010;100:590–5. 

• Kindig D, Stoddart G. What is population health? Am J public health. 2003;93:380–3. 

• Institute of Medicine. For the public’s health: investing in a healthier future. Washington, DC: 

National Academies Press; 2012.

• Institute of Medicine. Primary care and public health: exploring integration to improve 

population health. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press; 2012. 

Resources and Additional Reading

49
• Institute of Medicine. The future of public health. Washington, DC: The National Academies 

Press; 1988. 

• Institute of Medicine. The future of the public's health in the 21st century. Washington, DC: The 

National Academies Press; 2002. 

• Institute of Medicine. Who will keep the public healthy? Workshop summary. Washington, DC: 

The National Academies Press; 2003.

• Pearl R. Tobacco smoking and longevity. Science 1938;87:216–7.

• Preamble to the Constitution of the World Health Organization as adopted by the International 

Health Conference, New York, June19–July 22, 1946. 

• Federal Communications Commission. Texting while driving. http://www.fcc.gov/guides/textingwhile-driving.

• UNAIDS. UNAIDS World AIDS Day Report, 2012. 

http://www.unaids.org/en/media/unaids/contentassets/ 

documents/epidemiology/2012/gr2012/JC2434_WorldAIDSday_results_en.pdf. 

• Skelton A. Introduction to public health science and practice.” Presented at the CDC Steven M. 

Teutsch Prevention Effectiveness Fellowship Orientation, August 15, 2012. 

• US Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. Smoking and health. Washington, DC: public 

health Service; 1964. http://profiles.nlm.nih.gov/ps/access/NNBBMQ.pdf.

• Winslow CEA. The untilled field of public health. Mod Med 1920;2:183–91. 

• World Health Organization (WHO). World report on violence and health. Geneva: WHO; 2002. 

http://www.who.int/violence_injury_prevention/violence/world_report/en/. 

Resources and Additional Reading

50
Links provided in this course to nonfederal organizations are provided solely as a 

service to our users. These links do not constitute an endorsement of these 

organizations nor their programs by the Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention (CDC) or the federal government, and none should be inferred. CDC 

is not responsible for the content contained at these sites.

Use of trade names and commercial sources is for identification only and does 

not imply endorsement by the Division of Scientific Education and Professional 

Development, Center for Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Laboratory Services, 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Public Health Service, or the U.S. 

Department of Health and Human Services.

The findings and conclusions in this course are those of the authors and do not 

necessarily represent the official position of the Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention.

Disclaimers 

51
For more information, please contact the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

1600 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30333

Telephone: 1-800-CDC-INFO (232-4636)/TTY: 1-888-232-6348

Visit: http://www.cdc.gov | Contact CDC at: 1-800-CDC-INFO or http://www.cdc.gov/info

The findings and conclusions in this course are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Center for Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Laboratory Services

Division of Scientific Education and Professional Development