Public health (PH) has in the past been defined as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity“(WHO 1944). In more recent definitions health is considered a prerequisite rather than a target to be achieved (WHO 1986).  PH should be understood as a process in which individual concerns and needs are met within a wide context of interaction. PH is an organized societal effort to protect, promote and restore the health of its members. Although individual objectives may change, PH remains a social institution and discipline, which implements health measures (Milbank Memorial Fund Commission).

A government’s role in the provision of healthcare from planning, developing strategies, setting priorities and exercising control, varies greatly due to cooperation with different partners in this area. Pursuant to the EU article 129.1 (1993) on PH, high standards of health must be a prerequisite of society. Prevention must play a decisive role in this, with particular emphasis on researching the causes for disease and disseminating information. Preventive health measures must be implemented in society to safeguard the wellbeing of the community.

PH is a problem-oriented, interdisciplinary field within the health sciences. It represents the interaction between the health of entire populations and their respective healthcare systems.
 
PH serves as the third pillar of modern medicine, alongside research in biomedicine and clinical research. Epidemiology provides the basic research methodology for studying the factors that affect the health and disease of populations. Its groundbreaking findings regarding the causes of diseases and resulting implications for disease prevention, as well as the promotion of health, are meanwhile recognized worldwide. Examples include diet and cardiovascular risk or smoking and lung cancer.

Disciplines concerned with environmental factors (ecology, occupational medicine) and social factors (medical sociology, social epidemiology) are of particular importance to scientific research on the causes of disease. Scientific disciplines that investigate human behavior including genetic factors (medical psychology, social psychology, education, nutrition, genetics, etc.) are of equal importance. Furthermore, operational research, management sciences and environmental sciences are essential to analyzing correlations between a population’s health status and the availability, utilization, quality and cost of the medical care provided. PH is thus a holistic concept, comprising of health promotion and health behavior, as well as healthcare issues and politics. PH must be considered on a national level involving politics, environmental aspects, research and education in particular. It must also be considered in a wider context and where it can create far-reaching networks of international cooperation.

Differentiation 

PH must be taught as an interdisciplinary subject due to its area of influence.