Essentials of Public Health - Essay Example

What historical phenomena are most responsible for the development of public health responses?

Battling epidemics such as cholera, typhoid, smallpox, tuberculosis, and yellow fever, prior to 1850, was one of the events that led to public health responses. This included; the formation of the first board of health; Jenner and Snow's use of deductive logic and common sense to fight smallpox and cholera, respectively. This instigated events such as the battling of epidemics by various public health pioneers prior to 1850; the construction of state and local infrastructure (1850 -1949); and the filling of gaps in medical care delivery (1950-1999). These events led to the development of public health responses (Bernard, 2008).

Which features of public health make it different from other fields?

            The public has several unique traits that make it different from other fields. These traits include; public health’s social justice philosophy, its link with the government, its use of prevention as a prime intervention strategy, its dynamic and ever-expanding agenda, its grounding in the sciences, its inherently political nature, and its uncommon culture and bond (Bernard, 2008).

Which features are most unique and distinctive? Why?

            Public health’s social justice philosophy is its most unique and distinctive feature since social justice is said to be the foundation of public health.