Towards a 21st Century Approach
Public health today has a rare opportunity to advance social, physical, economic, and environmental structures in a way that promotes health in its broadest sense.
The Issue:
The era of the Affordable Care Act offers once-in-a-generation opportunities for communities to change the ways they define and promote public health.
Six elements for a 21st century vision for public health:
- Effectively engage with institutions outside traditional public health—health services, housing, transportation, and education—to build linkages between their concerns and the public health agenda.
- Have those most affected by a public health problem become part of creating the solution.
- Engage health care institutions and leaders in finding ways to act directly on the underlying community determinants of wellness and injury.
- Encourage businesses to invest in health and safety as partners in a comprehensive community prevention initiative.
- Change the physical and social environment of a community so that healthier activities become the norm.
- Communicate broadly the success stories of public health as being about real people, their lives and futures.
Conclusion:
Moving forward, public health and community leadership need to engage new leaders and create new alliances.
About the Study:
This paper is based on 50 in-depth interviews with community experts and leaders in a broad array of sectors.