There is more to public health than just handling medical emergencies like the COVID-19 outbreak. Programs to safeguard health, enhance wellbeing, and prevent disease are run by nonprofits and government public health agencies. They address social, environmental, and economic issues that lead to acute and chronic illnesses, raise mortality rates, and impair general health and well-being by utilizing their expertise and authority in public health.

Authority on Public Health

Fifteen states have either approved or proposed laws that would erode public health authority, according to a 2021 study published by the Network for Public Health Law. This legislation follows the national debates over lockdowns and mask regulations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Among other things, these regulations would prohibit municipal and state governments from enforcing mask laws, shutting down companies, or imposing quarantines. These laws could have disastrous effects on the following.

Localized dissemination. Diseases that are highly contagious will spread more quickly, leading to widespread illness and fatalities.
loss of knowledge. Legislators may lack the expertise to properly address a health hazard if they take over public health solutions.
delayed reaction time. When it comes to hazards to public health, time is of the importance. A disease can spread throughout a population by undermining the capacity of authorities to take action.
decreased equity in health. As the pandemic shown, communities of color were disproportionately affected by COVID-19. These groups would continue to be most negatively impacted by rules that prevent the transmission of disease.

Lack of Public Health Workers

The public health workforce is comprised of two groups: clinicians such as physicians and nurses, as well as public health professionals who work for government agencies, nonprofits providing healthcare, and research institutes. The lack of workers has affected both components.

In the public health think tank de Beaumont’s 2021 Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey, 44% of state and local public health employees stated they intended to retire within the next five years. The majority of responders claimed that the opposition to public health activities during the COVID-19 epidemic was the reason behind their choice to leave the field of public health.

The number of clinical professionals in short supply is rising. A third of nurses questioned by Incredible Health, a healthcare staffing company, stated they intended to retire from nursing in 2022. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing reports that a growing number of nurses are reaching retirement age and that there are insufficient nursing schools to educate new nurses. In a similar vein, by 2034 the Association of American Medical Colleges predicts a shortage of up to 124,000 doctors.

Operating disease prevention and other public health and safety programs is made more challenging by shortages, which is a public health issue. Lack of providers will affect both the availability and standard of healthcare. A designated Health Practitioner Shortage Area (HPSA) is home to 98 million Americans, according to the Health Resources and Services Administration.

Money Spent on Public Health

Though the United States spends over $3.6 trillion a year on health care, only roughly 3 percent of that goes toward disease prevention, public health, and safety. Initiatives that support well-being can keep people from needing more costly medical care. support for emergency response, enlargement of disease monitoring and testing facilities, training for more public health personnel, and support for local health departments are all included in the 2022 Build Back Better Act.

Health Parity

For a long time, public health professionals have struggled to address the differences in health and well-being caused by socioeconomic, racial, and gender determinants. Lack of access to treatment for acute and chronic illnesses as well as preventative care raises the risk of illness, disability, and death in addition to limiting an individual’s capacity to live up to their full potential. Achieving health equity is the aim of federal, state, and local public health programs. Initiatives for health equity include, for example:

Providing multilingual health information
Affordable preventive medical care
Mobile tests for health
Telehealth, or flexible appointment scheduling
Put health first to avoid needing more expensive medical care.
recognizing the variations in culture

Electronic cigarettes

In 2006, e-cigarettes were first marketed by manufacturers as a means of helping smokers stop. They swiftly evolved into a means of consuming fentanyl, marijuana, and tobacco. Teenagers are now widely using e-cigarettes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) state that there are numerous risks associated with e-cigarettes. They have contributed to the tobacco addiction of young people. They make it easier to abuse illegal narcotics, which increases the risk of overdosing. They may also harm the lungs. A national initiative to discourage kids from using e-cigarettes is an illustration of an effective public health intervention.

Climate Change

A dry spell. Deluges. brutal weather conditions. unbearable heat. wildfires. A public health concern, climate change has already resulted in deaths and disruptions in numerous parts of the world. State and local governments in the United States have a number of options for mitigating the effects of climate change on their constituents. For example, governments may help maintain public health and safety by implementing urban forest projects to help cool cities, being ready to combat waterborne diseases, and knowing how air pollution increases asthma cases.

The Environment

Public health is greatly impacted by the environment, just as it is by climate change. Indeed, one of the social determinants of health that might forecast an individual’s health and well-being is their surroundings. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution primarily affects people with low and intermediate incomes and is a major cause of sickness and mortality. All are affected by other environmental conditions, though. Most people have some level of exposure to the persistent plastic known as PFAS. It has been connected to elevated cholesterol, high blood pressure, cancer, and reduced fertility.

HIV/AIDS

HIV/AIDS has claimed millions of lives, and 40 million people worldwide are living with the illness. In many areas, it is still endemic. Although there are medication therapies available, many people cannot afford them. Neither a vaccination nor a cure exist. Despite international efforts, the illness spreads. The search is still on for a vaccine.

Rural Health

Rural residents deal with a variety of public health issues. Their lack of access to primary care physicians, specialists, and hospitals is often a result of living in locations with a shortage of providers. In order to get care or give birth, people who live in distant areas frequently have to travel for hours. Despite being national in scope, the opioid crisis has devastated rural areas. One way to address the physician shortage is through telehealth, which enables patients to get care at home and assists in the monitoring of patients with chronic conditions.

Data Privacy

Data privacy might not seem like a problem for public health. Data privacy, according to public health professionals, is a fundamental human right. It’s possible that many customers are unaware that when they use a mobile wellness app, organizations that violate data privacy rules may obtain their data. In addition, public health data, once personal identifying information has been eliminated, can be used to track and combat diseases as well as identify food-borne illnesses, among other problems. Public health will continue to face the problem of utilizing data to improve patient outcomes while maintaining data security.