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Introduction to Public Health, Third Edition

Author(s): Mary-Jane Schneider, PhD, School of Public Health, University at Albany, State University of New York, Rensselaer
Details:
  • ISBN-13: 9780763763817
  • Paperback    595 pages      © 2011
Price: International Sales $86.95 US List
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Overview

Instructor Resources: Instructor's Manual, PowerPoints, TestBank, Image Bank, Sample Syllabus, BlackBoard Test Bank
Student Resources: Companion Website with Interactive Glossary, Flashcards, WebLinks, Matching Questions, Crosswords

“ …one of the most interestingly organized books about public health I have ever seen. The chapter structure is more inquisitive or intellectual and less about rote memorization. … a welcome surprise in a large field of materials.” —Patricia Wren, Oakland University 

Published in conjunction with the American Public Health Association, Introduction to Public Health, Third Edition offers a thorough, accessible overview of the expanding field of public health for students new to its concepts and actors. Written in engaging, nontechnical language, this best-selling text explains in clear terms the multi-disciplinary strategies and methods used for measuring, assessing, and promoting public health.

Packed with illustrative real-world examples, this updated edition provides students with informative discussions of the current technical issues and practical obstacles facing public health practitioners and policymakers alike.

Through coverage of new approaches to research and data collection, current best practices in the field, and the social and ethical challenges of devising public policy, Introduction to Public Health, Third Edition provides readers with a broad-reaching, practical framework for understanding the multifaceted forces and organizations of today’s public health enterprise.
 

The Third Edition Features:

  • Expanded discussions covering a wide variety of current topics, including pandemic flu, poisoning, promotion of physical activity, product contamination, information technology, and health disparities
  • New discussions regarding U.S. healthcare reform and the effect of the globalization of national economies on the health of populations
  • New analysis of public health efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina
  • Instructors Manual and PowerPoint slides providing chapter summaries

New to the Third Edition:

New or expanded sections covering:

  • Pandemic Flu
  • Response to Hurricane Katrina
  • FDA Regulation of Tobacco
  • Promoting Physical Activity
  • Poisoning (now the #2 cause of injury death)
  • Nonfatal Traumatic Brain Injuries
  • National Children’s Study
  • Coal Ash and other unregulated waste from power plants
  • Medical errors
  • Information Technology

New information/discussion on:

  • H1N1 swine flu
  • Conflicts of interest in drug trials
  • Problems in planning for the 2010 census
  • Genomic medicine
  • Cell phones/texting while driving
  • National birth defects prevention study
  • The new HPV vaccine controversy
  • Lead paint in toys imported from china
  • Bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates
  • The recent Salmonella outbreak in Peanut Butter
  • Contaminated drug imports from China
  • Managed care efforts to control medical costs
  • Evaluation of Healthy People 2010 and planning for Healthy People 2020

New examples including:

  • Andrew Speaker/Extremely Drug Resistant (XDR) Tuberculosis
  • Football players and increased risk for dementia later in life

 

ShowTable of Contents

Part  I  What is Public Health?
  Chapter  1  Public Health: Science, Politics, and Prevention
  Chapter  2  Why Is Public Health Controversial?
  Chapter  3  Powers and Responsibilities of Government
Part  II  Analytical Methods of Public Health
  Chapter  4  Epidemiology: The Basic Science of Public Health
  Chapter  5  Epidemiologic Principles and Methods
  Chapter  6  Problems and Limits of Epidemiology
  Chapter  7  Statistics: Making Sense of Uncertainty
  Chapter  8  The Role of Data in Public Health
Part  III  Biomedical Basis of Public Health
  Chapter  9  The “Conquest” of Infectious Diseases
  Chapter  10  The Resurgence of Infectious Diseases
  Chapter  11  The Biomedical Basis of Chronic Diseases
  Chapter  12  Genetic Diseases and Other Inborn Errors
Part  IV  Social and Behavioral Factors in Health
  Chapter  13  Do People Choose Their Own Health?
  Chapter  14  How Psychosocial Factors Affect Health Behavior
  Chapter  15  Tobacco—Public Health Enemy Number One
  Chapter  16  Public Health Enemy Number Two and Growing: Poor Diet and Physical Inactivity
  Chapter  17  Injuries Are Not Accidents
  Chapter  18  Maternal and Child Health as a Social Problem
Part  V  Environmental Issues in Public Health
  Chapter  19  A Clean Environment: The Basis of Public Health
  Chapter  20  Clean Air: Is It Safe To Breathe?
  Chapter  21  Clean Water: A Limited Resource
  Chapter  22  Solid and Hazardous Wastes: What To Do With the Garbage?
  Chapter  23  Safe Food and Drugs: An Ongoing Regulatory Battle
  Chapter  24  Population: The Ultimate Environmental Health Issue
Part  VI  Medical Care and Public Health
  Chapter  25  Is the Medical Care System a Public Health Issue?
  Chapter  26  Why the U.S. Medical System Needs Reform
  Chapter  27  Health Services Research: Finding What Works
  Chapter  28  Public Health and the Aging Population
  Chapter  29  Emergency Preparedness, Post-9/11
  Chapter  30  Public Health in the Twenty-First Century: Achievements and Challenges
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ShowAbout the Author(s)

Mary-Jane Schneider, PhD-School of Public Health, University at Albany, State University of New York, Rensselaer

Mary Jane Schneider is the Director of Interdisciplinary Programs and Clinical Associate Professor of Health Policy, Management, and Behavior at the School of Public Health, University at Albany, State University of New York, Rensselaer.

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ShowReviews

  • "This is a comprehensive, well-organized introduction to public health that defies the genre:  Unlike most textbooks, it is written in highly engaging language that, from the attention-grabbing prologue on, draws the reader into this complex and ever-so-important field."

    --Kenneth E. Warner, Dean and Avedis Donabedian Distinguished University Professor School of Public Health University of Michigan

  • "...one of the most interestingly organized books about public health I have ever seen. The chapter structure is more inquisitive or intellectual and less about rote memorization.... a welcome surprise in a large field of materials."

    —Patricia Wren, Oakland University

  • "...a wonderful book ...  a valuable resource to help connect the students with field work, i.e. public health structure, epidemiology and outbreaks, environmental services, maternal child health services, etc."

    —Doris Ellison, Edgewood College, School of Nursing

  • "The coverage of all of [the] selections is comprehensive, but presented at a level easily understood by students and even the general public... Dr. Schneider has crafted a well-written, authoritative, and engaging text that will have broad appeal."

    —From the book review of Introduction to Community Health, published in Journal of Community Health, Vol. 25, No. 6

  • "The book provides a complete overview of the Public Health field."

  • "...a great book not only for my class but as a resource for local public health."

    --Karen Gieseker, PhD, Georgia State University
     

  • Doody's Review Service Score: 93 - 4 Stars!

    "Organized around population health challenges, this update of an introduction to public health successfully conveys the array of public health initiatives and contributions. Far from a pedantic description of the public health enterprise, the book includes rich examples and stories from the annals of public health history, making the book very readable. The author focuses attention on the social, political, and ethical tensions in promoting health as a public good. This edition of the book incorporates current and relevant information and examples. It is an excellent resource for undergraduate public health students and faculty. Although this book is intended for undergraduate students studying public health, it is an informative read for anyone who seeks an overview of public health endeavors."

    ~ Karin J. Opacich, PhD, University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health

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ShowSamples & Additional Resources

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