Public Health - Research Paper Example

In the following discussion, the researcher shall enumerate on the concept of public and community health by tracing its historical development, and comparing it to each other. The objective is to identify the differences and similarities between public and community nursing, and its impact on acute care setting. Health, according to the World Health Organization can be defined as "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity" (Stanhope and Lancaster 322).

This definition has evolved over the centuries due to several historical health events which shall be discussed as follows: Historically, health care can be traced to the Greeks. They initiated the concept of self-care as the basis for developing a system of health care for the public. They believed that if individuals were free of disease, practice hygiene and care for themselves, then the community would be healthy. Based on this concept in the United States active promotion of health care developed during the 19th century when concern for the spread of epidemic and diseases due to poverty, dirty environment, and lack of awareness among the people led to the first public policies (Scutchfield, Mays and Keck 11).

At the time public health organizations developed by political entities were defined as institutions for policing epidemics through quarantine, and keeping diseases at bay. The first American Public Health Association was formed on an entirely different platform as compared to today. The purpose of the Association was to practice public sanitation, and worked in conjunction with medical practitioners, lawyers, engineers, lay reformers and on. This was more community focus rather than policy based holistically.

Yet, it was different from community health, and operated based on national economic and social reforms, and was political in