Why is public health important?

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Why is public health important?

Public health improves our quality of life, helps children thrive, reduces human suffering and saves money. Every day, the public health field is working – often behind the scenes – to prevent hazards and keep people healthy. For example, public health is responsible for:

• Tracking disease outbreaks and vaccinating communities to avoid the spread of disease.

• Setting safety standards to protect workers.

• Developing school nutrition programs to ensure kids have access to healthy food.

• Advocating for laws to keep people safe, including smoke-free indoor air and seatbelts.

• Working to prevent gun violence.

• Addressing the impact of climate change on our health.

• Declaring racism as a public health crisis.

Learn more about the fundamentals of public health in our PHERN learning series.

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