Historical Development of Professional Associations - Research Paper Example

The association is focused in providing information and education in order to assure the people that basic health care services, such as community-based health promotion, disease prevention activities and health services are universally accessible in the United States. Tracing back the history of APHA, the association was conceived during the time when scientific advances were used to find out the causation of communicable diseases and when the concept of national health services became a public concern.

Since the association was founded; it immediately focused and carried out its primary purpose. The association was then active and involve in several advocacies and public health education. In order to make it work, the association has solicited the participation and involvement of the government as well as the community. The association encouraged the government to adopt the most current scientific advances relevant to public health. As realization with their vision and mission, the organization also conducted massive campaigns to improve community health as well as to develop an organized health partners both at the local and federal level.

The health campaign of the organization was not only focused on how to cure or prevent diseases but also include the sources and environmental factors which most likely cause adverse effect to human health. In an effort to improve their services and involve wider perspective, the association has also conducted annual meetings with their different foreign counterpart associations in order to discuss and plan for new international entity and programs. Along with the 70 other national public health associations from all over the world, APHA has also joined in the establishment and serves as the executive secretariat for the World Federation of Public Health Associations (WFPHA).

APHA is also involved in the different activities organize by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). And to keep their clienteles and members informed and updated with the current public health issues, the association has also publishes and circulates regularly the American Journal of Public Health, a refereed journal and several scientific books and monographs. Every April of the year, the association is also conducting a week-long celebration of the National Public Health Week (NPHW) for the purpose of advancing public health issues.

Due to their continuous effort, the association has now 30, 000 members worldwide which is composed of health official, educators, students, environmentalists, policy-makers and other health providers. In which it has already fifty three state affiliates in California, New York City, Washington and the rest of United States. The members are associated and involve in one or more of the 27 primary sections and 8 special primary interest groups (SPIG). The former sections are focused on the major health disciplines or public health programs wherein the members of each section are allowed to convene to develop scientific program content, policy papers in their areas of interest or fields of practice, provide for professional and social networking, career development and mentoring.

Likewise, the latter which was formulated in 1978 is an option for members who do not want any affiliation in the primary sections. The advantage of the SPIG is that it allows the members to