Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
Public health focuses on promoting and protecting the health of communities through organized efforts by governments, organizations, and societies.
Related terms
Epidemiology: Epidemiology is the study of how diseases spread and impact populations, including their causes, patterns, and control measures.
Health Equity: Health equity refers to the absence of unfair or avoidable health disparities among different groups based on social, economic, or environmental factors.
Pandemic: A pandemic is an outbreak of a disease that occurs over a wide geographic area and affects an exceptionally high proportion of the population.