|
THE
BACKBONE OF HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS
[A man may see not what makes him live ? exists it
but indeed]
Public
Health is the backbone of any Health Care System because
it deals with prevention of health problems, management
of medical services, Research into health problems and
ways to manage the health problems and streamline appropriate
services.
Community
Medicine, Public Health, Perspective Medicine, are synonyms
which are used to define the art and science of disease,
promoting health, and to develop a system which can
ensure the proper and Equitable distribution of health
care to the people, with active involvement of the people
in development of the health system. In short the field
of Public Health is the backbone of any health system,
but due to the diverse nature of focus of the subject,
it lacks the glamour and hence the influence that such
an important field of health care should have had.
The
need to develop new approaches to health care and the
global concern brought the subject to the front?line
in the health The enthusiasm of the new found importance,
for the health system and preventive strategies, generated
the "traditional clash" of Curative vs. Preventive Health
approaches. Although there are no justification or basis
to this clash, as curative science cannot develop without
the preventive disciplines, and preventive art & science
cannot even be said to exist without knowledge generated
in the curative discipline.
The
Father of Public Health Prof. Winslow defines Public
Health as:
"Public
Health is the art and science of preventing disease,
prolonging life, and promoting physical and mental health
and efficiency, through organised community efforts
for:
-
sanitation of the environment;
-
organisation of medical & nursing services for early
diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of disease;
and,
- development
of social machinery which will ensure every individual
in the community a standard of living adequate for
the maintenance of health".
Or,
if the internationally accepted comprehensive definition
of Public Health, adopted by the American Board of Preventive
Medicine, is seen the scope of Public Health will be
crystal clear, this definition declares that :
"
Preventive Medicine is that speciality of medical
practice which focuses on the health of individuals
and defined populations in order to protect, promote,
and maintain, health and well?being, and prevent disease,
disability, and premature death."
The
content of Preventive Medicine is described by the Board
as:
"In
addition to the knowledge of basic and clinical sciences
and the skills common to all physicians, the components
of Preventive Medicine include:
- Health
Services Management and Administration, including
developing, assessing, and assuring, health policies;
planning, implementing, directing, budgeting, and
evaluating, health programmes; and utilising legislative
and regulatory processes to enhance health;
-
Bio?statistics and the application of bio?statistical
principles and methodology;
-
Epidemiology and its applications to population
based medicine and research;
-
Control and prevention of environmental factors
that may adversely affect health and safety;
-
Control and prevention of occupational factors that
may adversely affect health and safety;
-
Clinical Preventive Medicine activities, including
measures to promote health and prevent the occurrence,
progression, and disabling effects of disease and
injury;
and,
- Assessment
of social, cultural, and behavioural influences
on health."
In
general, Public Health is concerned primarily with three
board areas:
-
Health Services and Systems;
-
Health Behaviour and Motivation; and,
-
Environmental Hazard/s.
|
