Public health promotes and protects the health of people and the communities where they live, learn, work and play.
While a doctor treats people who are sick, those of us working in public health try to prevent people from getting sick or injured in the first place. We also promote wellness by encouraging healthy behaviors.
From conducting scientific research to educating about health, people in the field of public health work to assure the conditions in which people can be healthy. That can mean vaccinating children and adults to prevent the spread of disease. Or educating people about the risks of alcohol and tobacco. Public health sets safety standards to protect workers and develops school nutrition programs to ensure kids have access to healthy food.
Public health works to track disease outbreaks, prevent injuries and shed light on why some of us are more likely to suffer from poor health than others. The many facets of public health include speaking out for laws that promote smoke-free indoor air and seatbelts, spreading the word about ways to stay healthy and giving science-based solutions to problems.
Rates of chronic disease and other health outcomes vary greatly between communities that have access to affordable, healthy food and clinical and mental health supports and those that do not. Average life spans can vary by 20 to 30 years in communities that are mere miles apart due to these inequities.
Health equity is a guiding priority and core value of APHA. That is why we have once again teamed up with the Aetna Foundation and the National Association of Counties to invite city- and county-level teams to participate in the Healthiest Cities and Counties Challenge.
The Challenge is an exciting initiative designed to accelerate systems-level approaches to improving community health over a two-year period (April 2020 through April 2022). We aim to do this by supporting selected communities through learning opportunities and one-on-one technical assistance from APHA and NACo.
Healthiest Cities & Counties Challenge
The Challenge will provide grants and non-financial support to a cohort of 20 communities in California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, and West Virginia that are ready to:
change the way they work together across sectors;
build resident leadership and power; and
take collective action.
Together, we will work to reduce disparities in chronic disease outcomes and promote health equity through improved access to healthy foods and access to care.