What is Public or Population Health Public Health
What is Public or Population Health? Public Health is the science and practice of protecting and improving the health of communities through education, promotion of healthy lifestyles, and research for disease and injury prevention.
Public health professionals… … try to prevent problems from happening or re-occurring through implementing educational programs, developing policies, administering services, regulating health systems and some health professions, and conducting research, in contrast to clinical professionals, such as doctors and nurses, who focus primarily on treating individuals after they become sick or injured.
What is the Environmental Context? S What is the current Context? S What is the ideal Context? S What needs to change?
Why… are people not eating right? or exercising enough?
“It is unreasonable to expect that people will change their behavior easily when so many forces in the social, cultural, and physical environment conspire against such change. ” -Smedly and Syme (2000)
PSE S Policy – changes that are instituted through formal, written, standards accepted/adopted by a governing body S S Systems – changes that impact all areas of an organization or institution S S Foods available in schools must meet certain nutrition standards Implementing the National School Breakfast Lunch Programs Environment – changes in physical, social, or economic factors that affect how people behave S The presence of healthy foods at school and school events S When sold, unhealthy “junk” food, is much more expensive than healthy food
Changing the Context Moving from Programs/Event to PSE Setting Program/Events PSE Child Care/Pre. School Provide healthy living tips in parent newsletter Adopt a policy for physical activity throughout the day Community Host a community bike ride and parade Implement a “Complete Streets” policy Faith Go Red! Sunday Healthy meals and snacks policy Schools Family fitness nite Develop a joint use agreement Worksite Annual onsite health screening for staff Establish a healthy vending policy Make stairs accessible and attractive Schools Celebrate National Nutrition Month Add fruits & vegetables to a la carte Schools Participate in Walk to School Establish Safe Routes to Day Schools
PSE… …interventions are effective because S they have broad impact, S they are sustainable, and S they are relatively inexpensive.
Events/Programs vs. PSE Change Characteristics of Events/Programs Characteristics of PSE Change S One time S Ongoing S Additive: often results in only short-term behavior S Foundational: often S produces behavior change S over time S Policy level S Part of an ongoing plan S Long term S Sustaining S Individual level S Not part of ongoing plan S Short term S Non-sustaining
PSE is supported by: S Assessment & evaluation S Community & partner engagement (such as through School Wellness Teams) S Individual and community education about the importance of policy, systems and environment in improving health S Skill building S Programs (as appropriate) S Promotion S Enforcement
Paying Dividends Through focus on best practice based policy, systems change, and environmental change we will reduce childhood obesity in Alaska and our students will be healthier and better prepared for the future.
- Slides: 13