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List of contents
List of tables and figures
Abbreviations and acronyms
About the authors
Introduction
PART I BACKGROUND: THE BASICS
1 What is public health? Definitions and applications
2 The historical development of public health: Landmarks in the field
3 Health in Australia today: Health status, the health-care system and the place of public health
PART II CONCEPTUAL AND ANALYTICAL TOOLKIT: KEY CONCEPTS AND FRAMEWORKS
4 Distribution of health and its determinants: Changing concepts and models
5 Explaining differences and determinants: Environment, society and behaviour
6 Public health interventions: From quarantine to the rise of 'evidence-based practice'
7 Health systems and policy: Making sense of the complex mosaic
PART III PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE: BUILDING BLOCKS AND THE SYSTEM OF DELIVERY
8 Who delivers public health? Contemporary policies and players
9 Legislative authority for public health action: How governments and societal expectations intersect
10 Public health intelligence: Information and the research base for action
11 Human and financial resources: Essential foundations for action
PART IV PUBLIC HEALTH ACTION: KEY INTERVENTIONS FROM PAST TO PRESENT
12 Surveillance and disease control: From data to intervention
13 Health protection: From the physical environment to ecological health
14 Preventive services: Linking public health and personal health care
15 Health promotion: From lifestyles to societal determinants of health
16 Health maintenance and improvement for vulnerable populations: From needs to rights
PART V PUBLIC HEALTH CHALLENGES: EMERGING ISSUES AND RESPONSES
17 Public health governance: Politics of participation, decision-making and accountability
18 Futures of public health: Where to now for the organised effort?
19 A final note on ethical practice
APPENDICES
Appendix A: Australian core public health functions
Appendix B: Millennium Development Goals
Appendix C: Commonwealth Department of Health structure, 1921-2012
Appendix D: Commonwealth population health divisions, 1961-2012
Appendix E: Approaches and theories for health promotion
Appendix F: Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion, 1986 (extract)
Appendix G: Evidence-based public health: Recommendations form Taskforce on Community Preventive Services
Appendix H: Examples of public health laws in Australia
Appendix I: Examples of new diseases identified in humans since 1975
Appendix J: Core environmental health services provided by Health Departments and environment protection agencies
Appendix K: Vaccine start dates in Australia
Appendix L: Common food- or water-borne pathogens
Useful resources
Sources for definitions
Bibliography
Index
About the author
VIVIAN LIN is Professor of Public Health at La Trobe University, Vice President for Scientific Affairs for the International Union for Health Promotion and Education and Senior Editor for Health Policy for Social Science and Medicine. She has held senior positions in a range of health authorities and non-government organisations across Australia, and is the co-author of Health Planning (2001) and co-editor of Evidence-based Health Policy (2003).
JAMES SMITH is an independent public health planning consultant and public health policy adviser to local government and its peak bodies. He is also an Adjunct Associate Professor in the School of Public Health and Human Biosciences at La Trobe University and in the School of the Environment at Flinders University. He is a past President of Environmental Health Australia and former Editor-in-Chief of the journal Environmental Health.
SALLY FAWKES is Senior Lecturer in Health Promotion and Leadership at La Trobe University where she teaches post-graduate subjects in public health policy, health promotion, and law and management in health. She has extensive national and international experience in health promotion policy development and practice. She serves on the boards of Women's Health Victoria and the International Network of Health Promoting Hospitals and Health Services.
Summary
A comprehensive introduction to public health in Australia, now in its second edition. Taking an applied approach, it offers a systematic overview of the key theories, methods, priorities and players in the field.
