The word “health” has a very broad meaning. It’s used in medicine, law, and political speech to describe the quality of life achieved by an individual. In modern society, the word “health” is commonly associated with the concepts of physical well being, psychological wellness, or emotional well being. Health, as defined by the World Health Organization, is “an optimum state of total physical, mental and emotional well-being and not just the absence of illness and infirmity.” Various other definitions have also been used over the years for various purposes. The definition of health as it relates to humans is constantly changing and evolving as new discoveries are made.
The goal of public health, as determined by the World Health Organization and other organizations, is the promotion of healthy life. Healthy life entails healthy habits and environments that promote well-being. These conditions include physical and mental aspects as well as the ability to handle stress and manage emotions. The state of health can be influenced by a number of factors, including genetics, culture, environments, and life experiences. Public health emphasizes the use of effective means for the control and promotion of well-being.
The promotion of health has different objectives depending on the area of focus. For example, some of these objectives are to decrease prevalence of chronic diseases, prevent the spread of infectious diseases, improve nutritional status, provide protection against environmental threats, reduce the risk of death and disability caused by health conditions, and promote active participation and healthy responsibilities of people in the community. Prevention of diseases is a good health status indicator. Thus, programs that aim to prevent the development and spread of chronic diseases are known as preventative programs. Some of these diseases are heart diseases, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, and cancers.
Maintaining a healthy environment is another objective of public health. This concept focuses on the quality of the physical environment, its cleanliness, availability of adequate food and water, cleanliness of the land and air, and maintenance of a balanced physical environment. Cleanliness of the environment refers to ensuring the absence of diseases or environmental hazards. The promotion of cleanliness is achieved by preventing the occurrence and spreading of diseases, improving the cleanliness of the physical environment, and providing protection against environmental threats. Some of these activities may involve the use of chemicals, improving the utilization of existing resources, and improvement of the quality of human health.
One of the most important factors for the promotion of good health is education. Programs aiming to promote healthy living and prevent the occurrence and spread of certain diseases are carried out by the WHO and other international organizations. The media is another significant agent of public health. Advertisements about prevention of diseases and cleanliness in the market and on television are very powerful tools in the fight against disease. Promotion of family planning activities, educating children on healthy eating and exercise, and access to quality health care services are some of the other measures taken by governments and society to improve the quality of the healthy environment.
There are various programs designed by governments in order to reduce the rate of infant and child mortality, increase the life expectancy of people, and improve general health and the economy. These programs aim at promoting overall health. They include promoting healthy marriages, decreasing smoking rates and increase in physical activity, reduction of chronic conditions, and improvement in nutritional intake. The main article can be downloaded from the website cited below.