What is public health? Who is CDC?
About
CDC's 10 Great Public Health Achievements
in the 20th Century 
Essential background info
Basics on what public health is, who CDC is, and where CDC originally published the list
one of 10 Modern Miracles that resulted in Americans living longer & healthier lives
Public Health 101
Ten achievements in public health ... but ...
What exactly is public health?
- Public health is a science.
- The goal of public health is to prevent disease, prolong life, and promote health.
- Public health uses organized efforts and informed choices to achieve this goal.
-
Who organizes these efforts and makes those choices?
- Society
- Public and private oganizations
- Communities
- Individuals
A bullet point definition of
public health - based on Charles-Edward Winslow's
classic 1920 paper. Still relevant today!
America's wellness experts
Original authors of the 10 public health achievements: CDC
Who is CDC?
- U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention
- A federal science agency
- The nation's leading public health institute
- Over 9000 scientists
- Experts in...
epidemiology, prevention, behavioral health, environmental health, lab work & more
In other words...
CDC =
the scientists our nation hires
to protect the public's health
and prevent disease
CDC's premier public health journal
Ten great public health achievements first published in: MMWR
Where can you find the original version of CDC's list?
In Volume 48 of CDC's premier journal, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. The 10 public health achievements were published in 10 different articles of MMWR, over the course of a year, in 1999.
CDC has a round-up of the original 10 articles at their own page:
Ten Great Public Health Achievements in the 20th Century
OK. Cool.
But this is science, so of course there's more to it.
So next, I want to go...