Public health

Public health is the science and art of promoting and protecting health and wellbeing, preventing ill health and prolonging life through the organised efforts of society. 

Public health looks at the whole population, and says we are all responsible for health, health protection and disease prevention.  It looks at the underlying socio-economic and wider reasons for the state of people's health, as well as disease.  It also involves all those who contribute to the health of the population.

The three main areas of public health practice are:

• health improvement
• improving services
• health protection