Challenge 1: What is the purpose and what are the core functions of the public health system?

View & Complete

• Answer the questions in each “Knowledge Check” when prompted in this CDC webinar “Introduction to Public Health” (TOPICS 1-3, minutes 0:00 - 23:53 only)

Reflect & Write/Discuss

• The speaker described “A Public Health Approach” to combating diseases. Identify ways the public health system used the 4-step approach (listed below) to combat COVID-19. List 1-3 ways for each step using data as evidence to support your claim.
  • Surveillance
  • Risk-factor identification
  • Intervention/Evaluation Implementation

Share

• Your results in class.

Review the Core Sciences

Describe some of the ways the public health system has combated the coronavirus using each of these core sciences. Identify 1-3 ways for each:

• Prevention
• Epidemiology
• Laboratory
• Informatics
• Surveillance

Share

• Your results with classmates.

Reflect, Write, & Discuss

• The speaker says “At the core of public health is a principle of ‘social justice’, that people have the right to be healthy and live in conditions to support their health.” Today, some people see public health as a “privilege” instead of a “right.”
  
  
• What is the difference?
  
  
• Do you think our public health system operates as a privilege or a right? Use at least 3 sources with evidence to support your claim.
  
  
• Do you agree or disagree that the US public health system was prepared for the coronavirus pandemic? Why or why not? Use at least 3 sources with evidence to support your claim.

View & Complete

• Answer the questions in each “Knowledge Check” when prompted in Part Two of this CDC webinar “Introduction to Public Health” (TOPICS 4-6, minute 23:53-52:05)

Reflect, Research, & Discuss

The speaker highlights historic policy decisions made to protect the public health, including writing health codes, adopting tobacco laws and food labeling.

• What are some of the policy decisions made to protect the public health during the COVID pandemic? Use at least 3 sources of evidence to support your claim.

Complete the Table

• In groups, fill in the information: Consult federal, state and local government websites to identify the responsibilities for the three major functions of public health systems at each of these levels. Record your findings on a chart like the one shown.

Share & Discuss

• Your results.

Reflect & Write

• Compare and contrast what you think the core systems of government should be doing with what the systems are doing. Identify the gaps.
• What are some possible solutions to reconcile what the core systems of government should be doing with what they are doing?

Find out & Discuss

Create a table (spreadsheet) on which to record information that answers the Questions (1-4) for the federal agencies listed below.

• Department of Health and Human Services (H
  
• National Institutes of Health (NIH)
• Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA)
• Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
• National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
• Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)