What is Public Health all about?

2. What is Public Healthall about?

3. What does Public Health do? • Provide diseasecontrol and prevention • Assure air andwater quality • Promote healthylifestyles

4. Public Health is a wise investment • It helps people: • Save money • Enjoy good health • Live longer

5. People are living longer!

6. Drugs and medical care +5 years

7. Public Health impact +25 years

8. Public Health Is Your Health Too!

10. Public Health Achievementsin the 20th Century

11. Public Health achievements in the 20th century • Immunizations • have virtually eliminated: • Smallpox • Diphtheria • Pertussis • Tetanus • Polio • Measles • Rubella

12. Public Health achievements in the 20th century • Infectious disease control

13. Public Health achievements in the 20th century • Safe and healthier foods • are now commonplace because of: • Hand washing • Sanitation • Refrigeration • Pasteurization • Pest control • Healthier animal care, feeding, and processing • Improved food supply safety

14. Public Health achievements in the 20th century • Fluoridation • Primary factor in the decline of tooth decay • Benefits all, regardless of age, education, or income

15. Public Health achievements in the 20th century • Coronary heart disease • and stroke • The leading cause • of death in the U.S. • despite a 60% • decrease in death rates • since 1950.

16. Public Health achievements in the 20th century • Recognition of tobacco • as a health hazard • Smoking, once socially • acceptable, is on the • decline among U.S. adults. • % of population who smoke • 1965–42.4% • 1997–24.7%

17. Public Health achievements in the 20th century • Motor vehicle safety • 1925–18 deaths per million VMT • 1997–1.7 deaths per million VMT VMT: vehicle miles traveled

18. Public Health achievements in the 20th century • Motor vehicle safety • Public Health efforts • have influenced: • Increased seat belt use • Vehicle safety improvements • Traffic safety regulation and enforcement • Improved streets and highways

19. Public Health achievements in the 20th century • Mother and infant • mortality rates • Maternal mortality rates down 99% • Infant mortality rates down 90%

20. Public Health achievements in the 20th century • Mother and infant • mortality rates • Improved standards of living • Technological advances in medicine • Greater access to maternal and well-baby care

21. Public Health achievements in the 20th century • Family planning • Desired birth spacing and family size

22. Public Health achievements in the 20th century • Safer, healthier • workplaces • Mining safety • Industrial safety • Indoor air quality • Ergonomics

23. Public Health Is Your Health Too!

25. Public Health • A population-based approach to healthy living

26. Core functions of Public Health

27. Core functions of Public Health • Assessment

28. Core functions of Public Health • Assessment • Policy Development

29. Core functions of Public Health • Assessment • Policy Development • Assurance

30. Core functions of Public Health

31. A. Assessment • Assess community health needs • Investigate health hazards and effects • Analyze health factors

32. B. Policy Development • Advocate for community needs and issues • Prioritize health needs • Plan and develop policies

33. C. Assurance • Manage resources • Implement programs • Evaluate programs • Inform the public

35. Some top priority health issues in Nebraska • Obesity • Cardiovasculardisease • Diabetes • Poor nutrition • Lack of exercise • Environmentalhealth • Tobacco use • West Nile Virus • Other communicable diseases • Access to dentalcare • Bio-terrorism

36. Problem:Obesity Epidemic • In Nebraska: • Three in five people are overweight or obese • 1989 to 1999 saw a 75% increase in obese people • Major cause of cardiovascular disease and diabetes • Cost Nebraska $741 million in 2002

37. Obesity Epidemic:What we are doing • Education focus: • Risks • Prevention

38. Problem:Cardiovascular Disease • Causes 29% of deaths in Nebraska • 84% of Nebraskans have at least one risk factor • $2.1 billion cost to Nebraska in 2003

39. Cardiovascular Disease:What we are doing • Public health focuses • on prevention through • education

40. Problem:Diabetes • 15% increase in deaths in Nebraska from 1989–98 • Diabetes costs Nebraska $610 million per year

41. Diabetes:What we are doing • Education is keyto prevention • Lifestyle changescan reduce diabetesdevelopment by40–60%

42. Problem:Poor Nutrition • 4 of 5 Nebraskans don’t eat enough fruits and vegetables • Only 8 states rank lower than Nebraska

43. Poor Nutrition:What we are doing • Promoting importance • of balanced diets

44. Problem:Lack of physical activity • 30.4% of Nebraska adults report that they do not engage in leisure time physical activity • 4 in every 5 Nebraska high school students do not engage in sufficient levels of moderate and vigorous physical activity

45. Lack of physical activity:What we are doing • Educating youth and adults about the value of physical activity • Creating environments and policies that are supportive of physical activity

46. Problem:Tobacco use • 2,400 Nebraskans died in 1999 from tobacco use • Over $400 million each year on tobacco-related health care • 45,000 Nebraska youth will die prematurely as adults from smoking-related illness

47. Tobacco use:What we are doing • Tobacco-Free Nebraska program including tobacco cessation quitline (ending 5/30/04) • Grants to local communities • Youth empowerment activities

48. Problem:Oral health access • 18 Counties have no dentist • 33 Counties have one or two dentists • 50% of Nebraska dentists plan to retire by 2013

49. Oral health access:What we are doing • Recruitment and incentives • Critical access facilities

50. Problem:West Nile Virus • Nebraska in 2003: • 2022 human cases • 26 deaths