Health programs aim to improve the health of communities. These programs can include neighborhood clinics and specialty treatment services (such as for sexually transmitted diseases or gynecologic and obstetric care); community-based prevention efforts such as screenings or media campaigns; and interventions that address specific health issues and risks (such as vaccines, tobacco control, and food safety).
Effective public health programs are evidence-based and focused on the population as a whole. They are implemented through a technical package: a selected group of proven interventions that, when implemented together, will achieve and sustain substantial and sometimes synergistic improvements in a specific risk factor or disease outcome. This focus is critical because large gains in population health often come from small changes for many people rather than from a few big changes for fewer individuals.
Successful programs are based on a clear and compelling health need and goal. They are responsive to and engage the local community, and they conduct ongoing and iterative needs assessments that align with the changing epidemiological profile of a community. In addition, they implement and monitor the success of their activities in a way that promotes accountability to their funders and their target audiences.
However, even the most well-designed and focused health programs are unlikely to reach their full potential without adequate funding and other resources. Furthermore, the ability to scale up such a program is often limited by a host of distinct and interrelated limitations that may arise from different and competing factors (e.g., financial and human resource constraints, institutional capacity, the quality of health care systems, and behavioral change).
To maximize impact, it is important that health programs provide the right information in the right format at the right time. This includes delivering evidence-based health messages to targeted populations through traditional channels, such as publications and medical associations, as well as through newer communication tools such as mobile phone applications, email alerts, and social media. This also includes providing information to policy makers about the health and fiscal consequences of alternative policy options.
HHS agencies offer a wide array of public health resources and information, including vaccines, mental health, and the availability of safe foods, drugs, and medical devices. In addition, you can learn about national efforts to prepare for and respond to public health emergencies and disasters.