Health programs are designed to reduce health disparities by addressing the root causes of poor health. These include the social, cultural, and economic conditions in which people live (known as the social determinants of health), as well as modifiable risk behaviors such as smoking, poor eating habits, and lack of physical activity. Health programs often use communications, education, and advocacy strategies to encourage healthy lifestyles.
The most effective public health programs are based on a technical package of proven interventions. These are selected and organized to deliver, at scale, significant and sometimes synergistic improvements in a specific risk factor or disease outcome. Such an approach sharpens and focuses what might otherwise be a wide range of possible interventions and avoids a “scattershot” approach to improving health. Technical packages have proved successful in eradicating polio, controlling HIV, and improving the availability of drugs for treating drug-susceptible tuberculosis and malaria, for example.
There are many different types of health improvement programs, such as community education, nutrition, and weight management. Each program has a unique focus and format, but all programs are designed to empower individuals to change their behaviors for the better. Communication: Creating awareness about healthy behaviors and their benefits to the public through various media. Examples of communication strategies include public service announcements, health fairs, and newsletters. Education: Promoting knowledge about healthy behaviors and their benefits to the public by offering courses, trainings, and support groups. Examples of educational strategies include workshops, presentations, and online resources.
Advocacy: Promoting policies and practices that improve the health of a population. Examples of advocacy efforts include policy changes, legislation and lobbying, and community outreach and engagement.
Evidence-Based: Research examining the effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability of a particular health program. This type of research uses scientific methods to measure the effects of a health program on a group of people or on an individual person.
The field of health services research is a subfield of population health that studies the determinants and outcomes of health care. It is a multidisciplinary field that includes the disciplines of epidemiology, statistics, economics, law, philosophy, and political science. Health services research is the study of the access, utilization, quality, delivery, efficiency, organizational/operational structure, and outcome of health care for an entire population.
In addition to helping individuals make healthier choices, health programs can also increase the overall productivity of businesses. Creating a workplace wellness culture requires commitment from employers and employees, but the rewards are great. A healthy workforce can lead to higher employee morale and retention rates, as well as lower costs for employers. These programs can be as simple as a smoke-free work environment or as complex as providing employees with a variety of health screenings and vaccinations. A number of federal agencies offer resources for businesses looking to implement health programs. These include the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the CDC, and the Department of Labor. Additionally, there are several private organizations that provide a wide range of health services.