Posts Tagged ‘public health’

Social determinants approaches to public health: from concept to practice

Newly published by World Health Organization www.who.int
The health of a population is measured by the level of health and how this health is distributed within the population. The WHO publication from early 2010, entitled Equity, social determinants and public health programmes analysed from the perspective of thirteen priority public health conditions their social determinants and explored possible entry points for addressing the avoidable and unfair inequities at the levels of socioeconomic context, exposure, vulnerability, health-care outcome and social consequences. However, the analysis needs to go beyond concepts to explore how the social determinants of health and equity can be addressed in the real world. This publication takes the discussion on social determinants of health and health equity to a practical level of how programmes have actually addressed the challenges faced during implementation.
Social determinants approaches to public health: from concept to practice is a joint publication of the Department of Ethics, Equity, Trade and Human Rights (ETH), Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR), Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction (HRP), and Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research (AHPSR). The case studies presented in this volume cover public health programme implementation in widely varied settings, ranging from menstrual regulation in Bangladesh and suicide prevention in Canada to malaria control in Tanzania and prevention of chronic noncommunicable diseases in Vanuatu.
The book does not provide a one-size-fits-all blueprint for success; rather, it analyses from different perspectives and within different contexts programmatic approaches that led to success or to failure. The final chapter synthesizes these experiences and draws the combined lessons learned. These lessons include: the need for understanding equity as a key value in public health programming and for working not only across sectors but also across health conditions. This requires a combination of visionary technical and political leadership, an appreciation that long-term sustainability depends on integration and institutionalization, and that there are no quick fixes to public health challenges. Programmes must get out of their comfort zones and, in addition to applying traditional biomedical and programmatic tools, they have to learn to address the economic, social, cultural and political realities in which public health conditions and inequities exist.
A common lesson learned from all the analysed cases is to not wait to identify what went right or wrong until after the programme has elapsed or failed. Research is a necessary component of any implementation to routinely explore, gauge, and adjust strategies and approaches in a timely manner. We believe that this publication will inspire programme managers, policy-makers and researchers to work hand-in-hand to launch new and better public health programmes and to further strengthen existing ones.

Social determinants approaches to public health: from concept to practice –

APHA Public Health Fellowship

APHA announces the search for the APHA Public Health Fellowship in Government for 2009. APHA is looking for candidates with strong public health credentials who wish to spend one year in Washington, D.C. working in a congressional office on legislative and policy issues related to health, the environment or other critical public health issues.

The fellowship will begin in January 2009 and continue through December 2009. The fellowship is designed to provide a unique public policy learning experience, to demonstrate the value of science-government interaction, and to make practical contributions to enhancing public health science and practical knowledge in government.

Applications and additional information are available through the links below. The application, including CV and three letters of recommendation, are due to APHA by May 30, 2008. APHA leaders, former fellows and policy experts will review the applications and select the finalists. All candidates must be APHA members, have five years of experience in a public health position and a graduate degree in a public health discipline.
for further information please visits : www.apha.org

Definition of Public Health Nursing

Public health nursing is the practice of promoting and protecting the health of populations using knowledge from nursing, social, and public health sciences.

Public health nursing is a systematic process by which:

1. The health and health care needs of a population are assessed in order to identify subpopulations, families and individuals who would benefit from health promotion or who are at risk of illness, injury, disability or premature death.
2. A plan for intervention is developed with the community to meet identified needs that take into account available resources, the range of activities that contribute to health and the prevention of illness injury, disability, and premature death.
3. The plan is implemented effectively, efficiently and equitably.
4. Evaluations are conducted to determine the extent to which the intervention has an impact on the health status of individuals and the population.
5. The results of the process are used to influence and direct the current delivery of care, deployment of health resources, and the development of local, regional, state, and national health policy and research to promote health and prevent disease.

This systematic process is based on and is consistent with:

1. Community strengths, needs and expectations;
2. Current scientific knowledge;
3. Available resources;
4. Accepted criteria and standards of nursing practice;
5. Agency purpose, philosophy and objectives; and
6. The participation, cooperation, and understanding of the population.

Other services and organizations in the community are considered, and planning is coordinated to maximize the effective use of resources and enhance outcomes.

The title “public health nurse” designates a nursing professional with educational preparation in public health and nursing science with a primary focus on population-level outcomes. The primary focus of public health nursing is to promote health and prevent disease for entire population groups. This may include assisting and providing care to individual members of the population. It also includes the identification of individuals who may not request care but who have health problems that put themselves and others in the community at risk, such as those with infectious diseases. The focus of public health nursing is not on providing direct care to individuals in community settings. Public health nurses support the provision of direct care through a process of evaluation and assessment of the needs of individuals in the context of their population group. Public health nurses work with other providers of care to plan, develop, and support systems and programs in the community to prevent problems and provide access to care.

Reference
American Public Health Association: The definition and role of public health nursing: a statement of the APHA public health nursing section, March 1996 update, Washington, DC, 1996, APHA.