Introduction to Public Health

by Schneider, Mary Jane

• ISBN13: 9780763725945
• ISBN10: 0763725943
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2000-01-01
• Publisher: Jones & Bartlett

Summary

Primary Courses: Introduction to Public Health (undergraduate and graduate level), Public Health Administration Programs: Public Health, Health Administration

Author Biography

Mary-Jane Schneider, PhD, is Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs, Clinical Associate Professor of Health Policy, Management, and Behavior, and Interim Director of Professional Education, School of Public Health, University at Albany, SUNY

Table of Contents

Preface	xiii
Acknowledgments	xvii
Prologue	xix
PART I-WHAT IS PUBLIC HEALTH?	1	(42)
Chapter 1- Public Health: Science, Politics, and Prevention	3	(13)
What Is Public Health?	4	(2)
Public Health versus Medical Care	6	(2)
Sciences of Public Health	8	(3)
Prevention and Intervention	11	(2)
Conclusion	13	(3)
Chapter 2- Why Is Public Health Controversial?	16	(11)
Economic Impact	18	(2)
Individual Liberty	20	(3)
Moral and Religious Opposition	23	(1)
Conclusion	24	(3)
Chapter 3- Powers and Responsibilities of Government	27	(16)
Federal versus State Authority	28	(2)
How the Law Works	30	(2)
How Public Health Is Organized and Paid for in the United States	32	(8)
Nongovernmental Role in Public Health	40	(1)
Conclusion	41	(2)
PART II-ANALYTICAL METHODS OF PUBLIC HEALTH	43	(80)
Chapter 4- Epidemiology: The Basic Science of Public Health	45	(17)
How Epidemiology Works	46	(2)
A Typical Epidemiological Investigation: Outbreak of Hepatitis	48	(1)
Legionnaire's Disease	49	(2)
Eosinophilia-Myalgia Syndrome	51	(2)
Epidemiology and the Causes of Chronic Disease	53	(1)
Heart Disease	54	(2)
Lung Cancer	56	(3)
Conclusion	59	(3)
Chapter 5- Epidemiologic Principles and Methods	62	(15)
Kinds of Epidemiologic Studies	68	(6)
Conclusion	74	(3)
Chapter 6- Problems and Limits of Epidemiology	77	(12)
Problems with Studying Humans	78	(1)
Sources of Error	79	(3)
Proving Cause and Effect	82	(1)
Ethics in Epidemiology	83	(3)
Conclusion	86	(3)
Chapter 7- Statistics: Making Sense of Uncertainty	89	(20)
Uncertainty of Science	90	(2)
Probability	92	(2)
Statistics of Screening Tests	94	(1)
Rates and Other Calculated Statistics	95	(5)
Risk Assessment and Risk Perception	100	(3)
Cost Benefit Analysis and Other Evaluation Methods	103	(2)
Conclusion	105	(4)
Chapter 8- The Role of Data in Public Health	109	(14)
Vital Statistics	110	(1)
The Census	111	(2)
NCHS Surveys and Other Sources of Health Data	113	(2)
Are So Many Data Really Necessary?	115	(2)
Accuracy and Availability of Data	117	(1)
Confidentiality of Data	118	(1)
Conclusion	119	(4)
PART III-BIOMEDICAL BASIS OF PUBLIC HEALTH	123	(66)
Chapter 9- The "Conquest" of Infectious Diseases	125	(17)
Infectious Agents	127	(2)
Means of Transmission	129	(2)
Chain of Infection	131	(3)
Rabies	134	(2)
Smallpox, Measles, and Polio	136	(3)
Conclusion	139	(3)
Chapter 10-The Resurgence of Infectious Diseases	142	(21)
Biomedical Basis of AIDS	143	(4)
Other Emerging Viruses	147	(1)
Influenza	148	(2)
New Bacterial Threats	150	(3)
Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis	153	(4)
Prions	157	(1)
Public Health Response to Emerging Infections	157	(1)
Public Health and the Threat of Bioterrorism	158	(1)
Conclusion	159	(4)
Chapter 11-The Biomedical Basis of Chronic Diseases	163	(12)
Cardiovascular Disease	165	(3)
Cancer	168	(3)
Diabetes	171	(1)
Other Chronic Diseases	172	(1)
Conclusion	173	(2)
Chapter 12-Genetic Diseases and Other Inborn Errors	175	(14)
Environmental Teratogens	176	(1)
Genetic Diseases	177	(3)
Genetic and Newborn Screening Programs	180	(2)
Ethical Issues and Genetic Diseases	182	(3)
Conclusion	185	(4)
PART IV-SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL FACTORS IN HEALTH	189	(108)
Chapter 13-Do People Choose Their Own Health?	191	(13)
Education	195	(3)
Regulation	198	(1)
Does Prohibition Work?	199	(2)
Conclusion	201	(3)
Chapter 14-How Psychosocial Factors Affect Health and Health Behavior	204	(17)
Health of Minority Populations	207	(1)
Stress and Social Support	208	(2)
Psychological Models of Health Behavior	210	(2)
Ecological Model of Health Behavior	212	(2)
Health Promotion Programs	214	(3)
Changing the Environment	217	(1)
Conclusion	217	(4)
Chapter 15-Tobacco: Public Health Threat Number One	221	(18)
Biomedical Basis of Smoking's Harmful Effects	223	(1)
Historical Trends in Smoking and Health	224	(3)
Regulatory Restrictions on Smoking: New Focus on Environmental Tobacco Smoke	227	(1)
Emphasis on Youth-Advertising	228	(2)
Community Approaches to Smoking Cessation	230	(3)
Taxes as a Public Health Measure	233	(1)
Current Status	234	(2)
Conclusion	236	(3)
Chapter 16-Diet and Activity Patterns: Public Health Threat Number Two	239	(20)
Epidemiology of Obesity	240	(4)
Diet and Nutrition	244	(1)
Promoting Healthy Eating	245	(4)
Physical Activity and Health	249	(2)
How Much Exercise Is Enough, and How Much Do People Get7	251	(2)
Promoting Physical Activity	253	(2)
Conclusion	255	(4)
Chapter 17-Injuries Are Not Accidents	259	(18)
Epidemiology of Injuries	260	(3)
Analyzing Injuries	263	(2)
Motor Vehicle Injuries	265	(2)
Pedestrians, Motorcyclists, and Bicyclists	267	(1)
Firearms Injury-Still Number Two	268	(3)
Occupational Injuries	271	(1)
Tertiary Prevention	272	(1)
Conclusion	273	(4)
Chapter 18-Maternal and Child Health as a Social Problem	277	(20)
Maternal and Infant Mortality	278	(3)
Infant Mortality: Health Problem or Social Problem?	281	(2)
Preventing Infant Mortality	283	(3)
Family Planning and Prevention of Adolescent Pregnancy	286	(2)
Nutrition of Women and Children	288	(1)
Children's Health and Safety	289	(2)
Conclusion	291	(6)
PART V-ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES IN PUBLIC HEALTH	297	(82)
Chapter 19-A Clean Environment: The Basis of Public Health	299	(14)
Role of the Government in Environmental Health	301	(1)
Identification of Hazards	301	(6)
Occupational Exposures: Workers as Guinea Pigs	307	(1)
Setting Standards: How Safe Is Safe?	308	(1)
Cost Benefit Analysis	309	(1)
Conclusion	310	(3)
Chapter 20-Clean Air: Is It Safe To Breathe?	313	(13)
Criteria Air Pollutants	314	(2)
Strategies for Meeting Standards	316	(2)
Indoor Air Quality	318	(3)
Global Effects of Air Pollution	321	(2)
Conclusion	323	(3)
Chapter 21-Clean Water: A Limited Resource	326	(12)
Clean Water Act	328	(2)
Safe Drinking Water	330	(4)
Dilemmas in Compliance	334	(1)
Is the Water Supply Running Out?	335	(1)
Conclusion	336	(2)
Chapter 22-Solid and Hazardous Wastes: What To Do with the Garbage?	338	(11)
Sanitary Landfills	340	(1)
Alternatives to Landfills	341	(2)
Hazardous Wastes	343	(3)
Conclusion	346	(3)
Chapter 23-Safe Food and Drugs: An Ongoing Regulatory Battle	349	(15)
Causes of Food-Borne Illness	350	(2)
Government Action To Prevent Food-Borne Disease	352	(4)
Additives and Contaminants	356	(1)
Drugs and Cosmetics	357	(1)
Food and Drug Labeling and Advertising	358	(1)
Politics of the FDA	359	(2)
Conclusion	361	(3)
Chapter 24-Population: The Ultimate Environmental Health Issue	364	(15)
Public Health and Population Growth	367	(2)
Global Impact of Population Growth-Depletion of Resources	369	(2)
Global Impact of Population Growth-Climate Change	371	(3)
Dire Predictions	374	(1)
Conclusion	375	(4)
PART VI-MEDICAL CARE AND PUBLIC HEALTH	379	(72)
Chapter 25-Is the Medical Care System a Public Health Issue?	381	(16)
When Medical Care Is a Public Health Responsibility	383	(1)
Conflict between Public Health and the Medical Profession	384	(4)
Licensing and Regulation	388	(1)
Ethical and Legal Issues in Medical Care	389	(3)
Ethical Issues in Medical Resource Allocation	392	(1)
Conclusion	393	(4)
Chapter 26-Why the U.S. Medical System Needs Reform	397	(15)
Why Do Costs Keep Rising?	401	(2)
Approaches to Controlling Medical Costs	403	(1)
Managed Care-The Latest Panacea	404	(3)
Rationing	407	(2)
Conclusion	409	(3)
Chapter 27-Health Services Research: Finding What Works	412	(18)
Reasons for Practice Variations	414	(2)
The Field of Dreams Effect	416	(2)
Outcomes Research	418	(2)
Medical Care Report Cards	420	(2)
Inequities in Medical Care	422	(2)
The Relative Importance of Medical Care for Public Health	424	(2)
Conclusion	426	(4)
Chapter 28-Public Health and the Aging Population	430	(21)
The Aging of the Population-Trends	431	(1)
Health Status of the Elderly	432	(3)
General Approaches to Maximizing Health in Old Age	435	(3)
Preventing Disease and Disability in Old Age	438	(6)
Medical Costs of the Elderly	444	(1)
Proposals for Rationing	445	(2)
Conclusion	447	(4)
PART VII-THE FUTURE OF PUBLIC HEALTH	451	(17)
Chapter 29-Public Health at the End of the Century: Achievements and Challenges	453	(15)
Challenges for the Twenty-First Century	455	(2)
Strategic Planning for Public Health	457	(4)
Integration of Public Health and Medical Practice	461	(1)
Information Technology	462	(2)
The Ultimate Challenge to Public Health in the 21st Century	464	(1)
Conclusion	464	(4)
Glossary	468	(13)
Index	481