The evolving role of public health in the delivery of health care

Abstract

Health care is conventionally regarded as the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in humans. Some examples of public health measures include ensuring a safe and healthy environment, clean water, safe workplaces; promotion of healthy behaviors such as hand washing and breast feeding; and, preventing infectious diseases such as delivery of vaccinations and distribution of condoms to control the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. How we define the quality of public health at any given time must be compatible with future generations enjoying health in an equivalent way. Public health practitioners must also integrate sustain ability in the definition of public health.