Introduction to

Public Health
Faculty of Dentistry- Taibah University
Introduction to Dental Public Health (PDS 111)

HEALTH
Health

is a state of complete physical,

mental and social well being and not
merely the absence of disease or infirmity

SPECTRUM OF HEALTH
Ideal health
Positive health

Negative or marginal
In apparent disease
Apparent disease
Death

health

Ideal health:
This conforms to the WHO definition of
health

Positive health
Perfect continuing adjustment between
the individual and the environment.

This definition indicates that health is a

positive dynamic interaction between the
individual and his surroundings with
proper acclimatization to maintain health.

Negative or marginal health:

If the individual is in a state of
equilibrium, he looks healthy, but he has
no ability to adjust himself to his
surroundings, then he is going to fall ill on
the slightest adverse stimulus.

In-apparent disease:
Disease is a state of departure from
normal to the extent that the ordinary
physiologic processes of the tissues and
organs are not enough to restore the body
to its normal functions. Unapparent
disease (also called pre-clinical) is not
recognized by the individual, but can be
discovered by examination and screening
tests.

Apparent disease:
The individual is aware that s/he is
suffering from an illness, whether s/he
seeks medical care or not.

Epidemiology (Epi = on, and

demos = people)

Epidemiology

is the subject concerned

with study of what happens to people
when involved by disease, whether
communicable or non-communicable
It is defined as the study of distribution,
frequency, determinants, and dynamics of
diseases in human populations.

Factors affecting the occurrence

of a disease
Human being
Environment
Causative

(host factors)

Agent

Host Factors
Heredity

and genetic factors

Age and sex
Health status
Previous immunologic experience
Physiologic state
Life style: e.g. smoking.
Socio-economic status

Environmental
Factors
The

physical environment
The Biologic environment
The social/cultural environment

Disease Causation and

Epidemiological Triad:

Risk Factors and Etiological

Factors:

Simple disease caustaion & Multiple

risk factors

Causative Agent:
Biologic

agents
Nutritional agents
Chemical agents: Examples are poisons,
insecticides, and even some drugs.
Physical agents: Excessive heat or cold ,
electricity, irradiation, ....
Mechanical agents: causing injuries or accidents.
Metabolic agents: e.g., phenylketonuria,
galactosemia,..
Genetic agents: as in Down's syndrome.
Functional: Dysfunction of certain organs or gland
may produce disease, e.g., Diabetes Mellitus.

Risk Factors:
These

are factors that make an individual,

a family, a group of individuals, or a
community, more prone to a specific
disease due to the presence of a certain
factor which is not the direct causative
agent.
The causative agent may be known or
unknown.
The risk factors are related to the host or
his/her self specific environment.

PUBLIC HEALTH
Public

health is "the art and science of

promoting health, preventing disease and
increasing the span of healthy life through
organized efforts of the society".
Another definition, which has almost the
same meaning "public health can be
defined as the combination of sciences,
skills and beliefs that are directed to the
maintenance and improvement of the
health of all the people."

Essential public health

functions includes:
Protection

of the environment
Health education
Health legislation, and health regulations
Prevention and control of communicable
diseases
Care for special groups as mothers, children,
and workers in certain hazardous
occupations
Assessment of health needs, plans and
supports the provision of health care services
to the population

Community Health / Community

Medicine:
Is

the application of the principles of

public health to communities.
A community is a group of individuals
sharing an identity, culture, and operates
through common institutions and
organizations. A health Center in a rural or
an urban area is responsible for the health
of the community they serve within their
catchment area.

Preventive Medicine:
is

the science and art of application of the

different levels of prevention at the
population, community, and individual
levels.

PATTERNS OF CARE
PREVENTIVE CARE
CURATIVE CARE

Levels of Prevention:
Primary
Health Promotion
Specific Prevention
Secondary
Early detection of diseases
Prompt and appropriate treatment
Tertiary
Rehabilitation

Patterns of curative care:

Emergency

care
Episodic care
Continuous care
Terminal care

Comparison between
clinical medicine and
community medicine
Clinical Medicine
Community Medicine
_________________________________________________________________
Objective
Patient cure
Health improvement
Information

Complaint, history
and related factors

morbidity, mortality

Investigations

Laboratory tests,

Survey studies

Diagnosis

X-ray, other tests

Differential diagnosis

Community diagnosis &

priority setting

Resources

Available therapy

Management

Treatment

Evaluation

status

Follow-up of patient

Health & Health related

services
Health programs
Assessment of health

THANK YOU