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The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Gillings School of Global Public Health
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263 Rosenau Hall, CB #7400
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7400
919-966-2499
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Public Health,
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Careers in public healthMaking a difference
What is public health anyway?

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Defining public health is no easy task. Public health issues connect with nearly every aspect of our lives and public health professionals address these issues using a variety of approaches.  

Public health is, first and foremost, about health.

A person's health is determined by personal choices, genetics, the environment in which he or she lives, and many other factors that can improve or threaten individuals and their communities.

Public health is about understanding and improving people's lives so that all of us can be as healthy as possible.

Some Public Health Issues
Access to health care
Air quality
Diseases
The consequences of catastrophic events
Health disparities
Water and food safety
Health behaviors
Injury prevention  

Some Public Health Approaches
Scientific research
Policy analysis
Program evaluation
Advocacy
Health promotion
Health care management
Community assessments
Laboratory research

The Association of Schools of Public Health presents the following career areas that address these and other public health issues around the world.

References and additional sources:

Associations of Schools of Public Health
Wikipedia
Public Health Institute

 

 
Last updated November 02, 2009
 

 
 
 
 
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