Public Health

Core Competencies of Public Health in Canada

 A comprehensive public health system is made up of practices that collaborate well with public health initiatives. Canadians most often turn to primary health services as their first point of contact within the health system. Unfortunately, the general population knows little to nothing about public health, even though public health is an integral part of Canada’s health system. Public health is population centric and involves both short and long-term interventions to ensure health protection, health promotion, disease prevention and prolongment of life. However, healthcare is individual centric and involves diagnostic and treatments, making it a short-term intervention approach. Though healthcare and public health use different approaches, they have a shared responsibility to limit the impacts of disease and disability. It is therefore important to maintain and improve the competence of public health professionals to prepare them for new challenges such as flu pandemics. This is the basis for the development of core competencies of public health to assure the public of an evidence-informed, quality, safe and consistent public health services. Read More