Defining and Assessing Public Health Functions: A Global Analysis

Martín-Moreno, José M.; Harris, Meggan; Jakubowski, Elke; Kluge, Hans

doi:10.1146/annurev-publhealth-032315-021429

Cited by 33 publications

(36 citation statements)

References 28 publications

(23 reference statements)

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…The group is already looking to develop a matrix cross-referencing IHR (2005) capacities—specifically coordination, surveillance, response, preparedness and laboratory capabilities—with the six health system building blocks in order to draw out areas of synergy, promoting a systems approach, as well as for the JEE areas of work. Moreover, there are key interlays with public health functions—all WHO regions have their own frameworks 29 —which need to be developed. Such a group, through its inter-regional composition, would minimise silos and will introduce the IHR (2005) at all levels of WHO.…”

Section: Moving Forwardmentioning

confidence: 99%

Strengthening global health security by embedding the International Health Regulations requirements into national health systems

et al. 2018

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The International Health Regulations (IHR) 2005, as the overarching instrument for global health security, are designed to prevent and cope with major international public health threats. But poor implementation in countries hampers their effectiveness. In the wake of a number of major international health crises, such as the 2014 Ebola and 2016 Zika outbreaks, and the findings of a number of high-level assessments of the global response to these crises, it has become clear that there is a need for more joined-up thinking between health system strengthening activities and health security efforts for prevention, alert and response. WHO is working directly with its Member States to promote this approach, more specifically around how to better embed the IHR (2005) core capacities into the main health system functions. This paper looks at how and where the intersections between the IHR and the health system can be best leveraged towards developing greater health system resilience. This merging of approaches is a key component in pursuit of Universal Health Coverage and strengthened global health security as two mutually reinforcing agendas.

show abstract

Section: Moving Forwardmentioning

confidence: 99%

Strengthening global health security by embedding the International Health Regulations requirements into national health systems

et al. 2018

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…To some degree, public health functions and services are regionally specific ( 11 , 16 , 17 ), nevertheless in its document “Health Workforce 2030” WHO underlines the unmet global demand for qualified health professionals including the public health workforce ( 18 ). By now, public health interventions in all countries target predominantly socioeconomic factors ( 19 ).…”

Section: Exploration Of Key Questionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Preparation of European Public Health Professionals in the Twenty-first Century

Bjegović-Mikanović

Otok

2017

Front. Public Health

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The public health profession in Europe has a leadership role for ensuring European's health in the twenty-first century and therefore must assume responsibility for advancing education for research and practice. Three fundamental questions are explored: (1) What are the main public health problems facing public health professionals; (2) What are their existing competencies after training; and (3) What competencies do European employers expect? The European Schools of Public Health assessed their best success to be in the field of health promotion, followed by disease prevention including identification of priority health problems, and elimination of health hazards in the community. Conversely, they see the least success in dealing with preparedness and planning for public health emergencies. From an employer's perspective, significant gaps between current and desired levels of performance at the job exist for all Essential Public Health Operations of World Health Organization. Based on prior research and recent European surveys of Schools and Departments of Public Health, the following recommendations are made, which emphasize the leadership role of the European public health community: (1) the preparation of public health professionals requires an interface between public health functions, competencies, and performance; (2) competence-based education is important and allows debates on the scope of the required education; (3) governments have to realize that the present lack of infrastructure and capacity is detrimental to the people's health; (4) as public health challenges are increasingly global, educational institutions have to look beyond the national boundaries and participate in European and global networks for education, research, and practice.

show abstract

“…During more than three decades, governments and the international community have made substantial work to define and operationalize public health functions, in an effort to clarify what public health entails on a practical level and strengthen governmental public health agencies (1,2,3).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The greatest strength identified in the PAHO initiative was its theoretical content and operationalization of the EPHF (1,5,6). However, its application was restricted to the health sector, while the participation of other government sectors, civil society and private sector was weak.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

A renewed framework for the essential public health functions in the Americas

Báscolo

Houghton

Riego

et al. 2020

Revista Panamericana De Salud Pública

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This report presents the results of a consensus decision making process conducted to elaborate a renewed conceptual framework of the essential public health functions for the Americas. The emerging framework consists of four pillars encompassing action-oriented components relating to the new scope and concerns of public health. The four pillars call for adopting a human rights approach to public health, addressing the social determinants of health, ensuring access to both individuals and population-based services, and expanding the stewardship role of health authorities through a collaborative implementation of public health functions. Public health functions were conceptualized as a set of capacities that are part of an integrated policy cycle the encompasses four stages: assessment, policy development, allocation of resources, and access. The framework provides a road map for evaluation and development by health authorities of integrated enabling public health policies through intersectoral collaboration. The application of the framework would require engaging countries working to improve public health through national assessments and systematic incorporation of these findings into quality improvement efforts and sectoral and intersectoral decision-making processes around policy and investments priorities promoted by governments. Work is ongoing in the definition of a list of public health functions that gives operational clarity to each dimension of this framework and guides performance evaluation.

show abstract

Defining and Assessing Public Health Functions: A Global Analysis

Cited by 33 publications

References 28 publications

Strengthening global health security by embedding the International Health Regulations requirements into national health systems

Strengthening global health security by embedding the International Health Regulations requirements into national health systems

Preparation of European Public Health Professionals in the Twenty-first Century

A renewed framework for the essential public health functions in the Americas

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About