Public Health: What It Is and How It Works by Bernard J. Turnock

From the Publisher

This book is a straightforward introduction to the complex, multidimensional field of public health and how it functions in modern day America.

Marvin J. Bittner

This comprehensible, but not comprehensive, textbook describes public health, emphasizing the role of state and local health departments in the United States. Its initial chapters describe public health, measurements of health status, and the health system. Most of the book describes the work of health departments, including their structure, general functions, infrastructure, programs, and challenges. The author is a public health physician who has directed a state health department and a teacher who introduces public health students to their profession. Consequently, the book aims to convey a broad understanding of the public health system and how it works, rather than a detailed guide to public health practice. Its broad perspective commends it to the public health professional engaged in strategic planning. Its clear organization, concise explanations, discussion questions at the end of each chapter, and glossary aid the student. The author makes a case for broader support for public health and notes the benefit that would occur if the book were read by other health professions students and students of social and political science. Many graphs, tables, and excerpts from public health documents illustrate the public health issues explained in the book. However, the book is largely a methodical outline describing public health in general. Escherichia coli O157:H7 disease is used as an example of public health challenges, but the author's restrained, brief description will not arouse as much passion as the series of newspaper articles about the Summer 1997 beef contamination from a Nebraska plant. Coupled with lectures and supplementary readings that demonstrate the urgencyof public health issues, this book could serve as an excellent foundation for an introductory course in public health. The U.S. health system would be better off if this book's concepts were understood by public health officials and opinion leaders.

Doody Review Services

Reviewer: Marvin J. Bittner, MD, MSc, FACP, FIDSA, FSHEA (Creighton University Medical Center)
Description: This comprehensible, but not comprehensive, textbook describes public health, emphasizing the role of state and local health departments in the United States. Its initial chapters describe public health, measurements of health status, and the health system. Most of the book describes the work of health departments, including their structure, general functions, infrastructure, programs, and challenges.
Purpose: The author is a public health physician who has directed a state health department and a teacher who introduces public health students to their profession. Consequently, the book aims to convey a broad understanding of the public health system and how it works, rather than a detailed guide to public health practice.
Audience: Its broad perspective commends it to the public health professional engaged in strategic planning. Its clear organization, concise explanations, discussion questions at the end of each chapter, and glossary aid the student. The author makes a case for broader support for public health and notes the benefit that would occur if the book were read by other health professions students and students of social and political science.
Features: Many graphs, tables, and excerpts from public health documents illustrate the public health issues explained in the book. However, the book is largely a methodical outline describing public health in general. Escherichia coli O157:H7 disease is used as an example of public health challenges, but the author's restrained, brief description will not arouse as much passion as the series of newspaper articles about the Summer 1997 beef contamination from a Nebraska plant.
Assessment: Coupled with lectures and supplementary readings that demonstrate the urgency of public health issues, this book could serve as an excellent foundation for an introductory course in public health. The U.S. health system would be better off if this book's concepts were understood by public health officials and opinion leaders.

Booknews

Aiming to clarify the scope of public health, Turnock (public health, University of Illinois-Chicago) provides historical context; defines public health functions, practices, programs, and measures; discusses the organization and infrastructure of the US health system, and future challenges (e.g. emerging pathogens, and managed care). Includes discussion questions and exercises, and a glossary of terms. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.

Rating

4 Stars! from Doody

Product Details

• Table of Contents

Table of Contents