A guide to public health issues

Our in-depth guide to public health issues lists some of the current public health issues, both in the UK and globally, as well as discussing how they’re prioritised and dealt with by public healthcare professionals. Read on for all you need to know about public health issues.

What is a public health issue? 

Public health involves helping people and communities to stay healthy and protected from threats to their health. Public health initiatives, carried out by public health professionals, include promoting well-being, preventing diseases and mitigating health risks for individuals and their communities.

You may remember these public health campaigns that had a big impact, for example. 

Examples of public health issues 

There are numerous public health issues across the UK, as well as globally, which public health professionals are working towards preventing or mitigating the impact of. Below are some of the most prevalent in today’s society.

Public health issues in the UK  

Some of the public health issues the UK is currently facing, that public health professionals are working to prevent/mitigate the impact of, include: 

• Obesity - and type 2 diabetes 

• Antimicrobial resistance 

• Mental health 

• Substance and alcohol abuse 

• Tobacco use and smoking-related illnesses 

• Air pollution 

• Sexually transmitted infections and diseases 

• Vaccination hesitancy 

• Life expectancy – life expectancy is increasing while health inequalities are widening. 

Additionally, alongside ongoing COVID-19 infections, winter has seen high levels of flu across the UK which has become a public health issue. There have also been outbreaks of Monkeypox, across England, concentrated in and around London.

Global public health issues 

Some of the global public health issues the world is currently facing, include: 

• Infectious diseases – including HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Malaria, COVID-19 

• Humanitarian crises and refugee health issues 

• Malnutrition  

• Access to clean water and sanitation 

• Mental health  

• Climate change

• Malaria 

Methods for identifying and prioritising public health issues 

As you see, there are multiple public health issues across different communities and countries, impacting millions of people every day. This makes identifying and prioritising a difficult task. In order to prioritise, public health professionals often use a scoring system, taking the following five criteria into account: 

1. Magnitude of the problem – How many people are affected? Is the public health issue widespread?  

2. Severity of the problem – Will the public health issue lead to serious illness, disability or death? 

3. Feasibility of the intervention – Given current resources available, is the public health issue able to be solved or dramatically decreased? 

4. Government concern – Does tackling the issue have government backing? 

5. Community concern – Does tackling the issue have community backing? 

Using the above factors and a scoring system, public health professionals will then be able to prioritise the public health issues to address first.

The role of public health professionals in addressing public health issues 

Public health professionals have a significant role in promoting the health of individuals and their communities, by addressing root causes of health issues and implementing feasible strategies to tackle them. Some of their key responsibilities include: 

• Prevention and education – Developing and implementing resources to educate and empower communities to make the right choices, promoting healthy behaviours. 

• Monitoring – Using existing data to back decisions on health trends, predicting severity of outbreaks and analysing risks.  

• Problem-solving – Coming equipped with proposed solutions and developments to policies to improve existing public healthcare. This can either be in the form of gradual roll-out, or emergency response to the likes of natural disasters or infection breakouts such as COVID-19. 

• Collaboration and partnerships – Collaborating with government agencies, healthcare providers, communities and international partners to address public health challenges collectively and efficiently.
  

How an MSc Applied Public Health can help health professionals understand and address public health issues 

Now, more than ever, public health organisations are looking for professionals who can offer a unique range of knowledge, skills and perspectives.  
 
If you’re looking to progress your career in this sector, an MSc in Applied Public Health could be your first step towards a deeply fulfilling career. While studying this course, you’ll drive change that makes a lasting impact on society, enhance your skills and knowledge, and be consistently challenged. See here for more reasons to earn an MSc in Applied Public Health. 
 
This course is part-time and 100% online, meaning you can strike the perfect work/life balance and complete modules around your other commitments: