Youth For Public Health

When you think of public health, what comes to mind?  When my dad first asked me this question, I pictured hospitals, clinics, and emergency rooms  where people are treated for their illnesses. It seemed obvious that public health must mean the health services available to the public. I quickly realized that I was wrong. And if I misunderstood what public health really was, then maybe other people wouldn’t know what public health was either. After reading What is public health? a scoping review – PubMed, I finally understood the importance of public health. So let’s define it!  

To start our journey of knowledge, I went to Stephen Ko’s article, Embracing Public Health—an Expression of Healing and Sacrifice. This source helped me see that public health is the health of the public. It’s the health of entire communities and populations, not just individuals.

Unlike the field of medicine and healthcare, which focuses on the health of an individual, public health works on a bigger scale. It aims to prevent disease before it happens, create policies to protect communities, and educate people to improve their health. Some examples of public health include clean drinking water, vaccines, seatbelt laws, and much more!

It’s easy to see why people confuse public health with healthcare. They both deal with and work with health, but operate at different levels. Because public health is the health of the community and not of an individual, it’s easy to forget about public health. The media often uses the terms public health and healthcare interchangeably, which adds to confusion about public health.

In my research, I was struck by Ko’s argument that “the essence of public health is love for neighbors and sacrifice for others.” This statement stood out to me because Ko is taking a unique perspective on public health. He argues that in the end, public health is an act of neighborly love. It’s a form of healing that requires sacrifice, especially with the marginalized.

Public health is important because it shapes the conditions that allow people to live healthy lives. Take COVID-19, for example. Vaccines , masks, personal hygiene, sanitation, and social distancing all help to protect the health of individuals but also the health of communities.  

When we invest in public health, we invest in healthier neighborhoods, safer schools, and better futures. It’s not just about avoiding illness, it’s about creating the conditions where everyone can thrive and flourish.