PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS HELP KEEP OUR COMMUNITIES HEALTHY AND SAFE
by Karen McKeown, RN, MSN
Administrator of the Wisconsin Division of Public Health
During National Public Health Week we celebrate the achievements of
public health. It’s easy to overlook the work of public health, because
it often takes place behind the scenes. Its victories are marked by the
infectious or foodborne outbreak that does not occur, the disease or
disability that does not develop, or the disaster or injury that does
not happen. Tragedies averted may not make headlines, but in its quiet
way, public health has added an estimated 25 years to Americans’ life
expectancy since 1900.
When you go to your health care provider, he or she will first
complete an examination, or assessment. This involves asking you
questions, checking your vital signs, and may include diagnostic tests
such as labs or x-rays. Your provider then uses this information to
diagnose any actual or potential problems, and to develop a plan to
improve or maintain your health. At your next visit, your provider will
check to see if the plan is working.
In much the same way as your health care provider cares for you as an
individual, public health professionals care for the community as a
whole. They have their fingers on the pulse of their communities,
assessing them for conditions that threaten the health and well-being of
the population. They develop plans and work with community partners to
address these threats, often before problems arise. And they monitor the
effects of their interventions, to ensure that they are effective.
As they carry out their essential work in an era of limited resources
and competing priorities, public health agencies at the local and state
levels face challenges. For example, a substantial portion of funding
for the work of public health comes from federal grants. These grants
are typically categorical, meaning that the use of the funds is
restricted to particular programs and activities. This can create
challenges when the federal priorities do not match those identified at
the local or state level by public health professionals who have
carefully assessed their communities’ specific needs. Moreover, changes
in federal priorities may leave local and state programs underfunded or
even without funds.
Despite the many challenges, public health workers carry on in
determined pursuit of their goal. In Wisconsin, the mission of public
health is described in the state plan as “Everyone Living Better,
Longer.” Whether it means stepping forward to lead in a pandemic or
disaster, or working behind the scenes to ensure healthy births or to
reduce the impact of chronic disease, you can rest assured that public
health is on the job.
Karen McKeown, RN, MSN
Administrator of the Division of Public Health
Wisconsin Department of Health Services
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Last Revised:
April 09, 2012
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