Public & Environmental Health
Carbon Monoxide Detector/Testing
Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment
Grand County Department of Natural Resources
Prescription Drug Disposal Box
Joslynn, Granby Elementary 3rd Grade
What is Public Health and Environmental Health?
“Public health promotes and protects the health of people and the communities where they live, learn, work and play.” (1) Public health’s mission is to prevent illness and injury and promote wellness. “Public Health saves money, improves our quality of life, helps children thrive and reduces human suffering.” (1)
There are many professionals that can and are involved in public health, including but not limited to:
1. Public health nurses
2. Public health doctors
3. Health educators
4. Restaurant inspectors
5. Epidemiologists
6. Occupational health & safety professionals
7. Scientists & researchers
8. Policy advocates
“Environmental health is the study of how environmental factors can harm human health and how to identify, prevent, and control such effects.”(2) The World Health Organization describes those environmental factors and physical, chemical, and biological factors external to a person. Healthy People 2020 focuses on six themes of Environmental Health:
1. Outdoor air quality
2. Surface & ground water quality
3. Toxic substances and hazardous wastes
4. Homes & communities
5. Infrastructure and surveillance
6. Global environmental health
Environmental health can also be described as a branch of Public Health. They intersect because their mission is about protecting the population as a whole.
(1) American Public Health Association website – www.apha.org
(2) University of Washington, School of Public Health website – www.deohs.washington.edu/eh
