History of Public Health

Community life has been at the center of public health throughout its history. Many major health concerns deal with community characteristics and conditions. For instance, the control of disease, the conditions of the physical environment, the quality and supply of water and food, medical care, disaster relief, and support for disabled or less wealthy citizens are all factors dealing with community health. Interestingly, these community health factors were addressed in civilizations dating as far back as 2100 BC. Community cleanliness and hygiene were important to Egyptians as early as 4500 years ago. Egyptian neighborhoods would “purify” the city by cleaning buildings inside and out, disposing of waste, and carrying out health ceremonies to rid the community of diseases.

The major health problems that we face today are very similar to the health problems humans encountered thousands of years ago, such as sanitation, spread of disease, and disaster relief. Although humans have experienced health problems all across the world and for thousands of years, some communities are affected differently by health problems. Throughout human history, societies that have focused on community health have been more successful at creating living conditions that protect the health and well being of its citizens. Researchers have found that these communities are usually more capable of controlling diseases, preserving water quality, and withstanding natural disasters. Longer life expectancy and lower infant mortality are usually the outcome.

Greek literature discussed the importance of healthy communities and environments as early as 400 BC. Hippocrates wrote that “ill-health developed when there was an imbalance between man and his environment." In his later book, Airs, Waters and Places, Hippocrates discussed the relationship between environmental factors and disease. He talked about how water and air quality, diet, and weather can affect the spread of disease.

Over 2000 years later, public health is still rooted in the community. However, there have been major advances in modern public health. Between 1880 and 1900, scientific investigators discovered a variety of pathogenic diseases, from typhoid and malaria to the plague using laboratory technology, such as light microscopes. The physical discovery of these diseases led to experiments that tested the behavior of these species and the possible treatments for fighting deadly pathogens. Our understanding of contagious diseases was based on the incredible amount of research conducted during the late 19th century and early 20th century. Researchers soon found that mosquitoes, ticks, and rats could quickly and easily spread diseases and used this knowledge to help prevent the spread of diseases, especially in urban environments. The development of vaccines during this time period went far to protect large populations from some of the most deadly diseases.

In the late 20th century, public health policy started to focus on the social factors that increase the risk of negative health conditions in certain populations. Health inequalities, education, and poverty received more focus from health specialists as researchers investigated the significant health differences found across communities. In the United Kingdom, approximately 20% of its health services budget goes to dealing with social and environmental conditions, such as unemployment, poverty, housing, and pollution.

Presently, public health encompasses a variety of different programs. Medical doctors, disaster relief workers, environmental groups, health educators, transportation planners, and public works experts all contribute to the field of public health. The goals of health programs are to protect citizens from health problems and to promote positive health behavior, whether it is through vaccinations or focusing on providing health services to at-risk groups. Most importantly, public health is, and always has been, about the community.