Frequently when we think of health, we think of an individual's actions and behaviors to stay healthy or to get better when ill. The public health view of health differs in that it focuses on practices and strategies that promote health and disease prevention for the population at large. For example, an individual strategy for improving health may be to quit smoking. A public health strategy for improving health may be to mandate smoke-free areas in public buildings like government buildings or restaurants. Other common public health strategies are immunizations, controlling air pollution and ensuring a safe drinking water supply. The strategies many times involve individuals; but the strategies focus on the goal of improving health for the community at large, rather than the health of an individual. Because of this focus, public health strategies are community-wide and frequently involve an increase in community resources. Public health strategies also advocate for health-related policies.

Public health strategies strive to influence the environment in which individuals live, making it possible for the overall community’s health to be affected. Some public health programs help people make better health choices by making more options available. Other programs help the community stay healthy by eliminating potential sources of disease in the community, e.g. keeping bacteria or chemicals out of the drinking supply.

This is not to imply that programs that focus on individual changes are unimportant. Individuals need the knowledge and skills to be able to make healthy choices; and only individuals can choose whether or not to engage in behaviors that will maintain or improve their health. Having the knowledge and skills to be healthy is often not enough. Even though an individual may initiate positive health changes, the absence of environmental supports, both social and physical, will make it difficult for an individual to make those changes as lifestyle changes. (1)

PA-BCERF researchers encourage a multi-level approach for its breast cancer programming. This approach increases the knowledge and skills of individuals to choose healthy behaviors, while also influencing an increase in the resources and supports of communities. People can then more easily practice the healthy behaviors that they have chosen. The PA-BCERF philosophy was concisely phrased in a recent issue of Health Education and Behavior. The author wrote, "A prudent and realistic course of action is a balanced approach that ensures the creation of healthy public policies and health promoting environments within which individuals are better able to make decisions conducive to health." (2)

 

1. Saunders, R. (1988). What is health promotion? Health Education, 5, 14 - 18.

2. Minker, M. (1999). Personal responsibility for health? A review of the arguments and the evidence at the century’s end. Health Education and Behavior 26 (1), 121-140.