Population Health

The practice of public health has evolved to include much more than the once traditional core functions of environmental health and public health nursing. Updated national public health frameworks now emphasize the importance of program areas that improve the overall health outcomes of communities. Understanding and optimizing the overall health of the community (population health) must be a critical part of a well-functioning, sustainable, and fundable local public health department.

This chapter provides basic resources for local public health departments to begin to address population health issues.