OUR LADY OF FATIMA UNIVERSITY

College of Pharmacy

MODULE 1
Overview of
Public Health
PHPP 311 – Week 1 (Day 2 of 6)

Unit Outcomes

To demonstrate understanding of the defini9on, importance, and
scope of Public Health, more specifically,

1.  To define health and public health in a pharmacy prac9ce
perspec9ve.
2.  To understand health as a basic human right and its role in the
development of a community and society as a whole.
3.  To describe the core func9ons of public health.
4.  To analyze the similari9es and differences of public health
approach from clinical health approach.
5.  To iden9fy the func9ons of Pharmacists in Public health in the
preven9on of disease, promo9on of health and prolonga9on of
life.



 Unit Outline
TOPIC 1 TOPIC 2 TOPIC 3
Introduc<on to Differen<a<on of Public Pharmacists as Public
Public Health Health from Clinical Health Health Professionals

a.  Defini9on of Health and a. Defini9on a. In Preven9on of Disease
Public Health
b.  Health as a Human b. SePng b. In Promo9on of Health-
Right: Alma Ata S9gma
Declara9on - Discrimina9on
- Pill-shaming
c. Core Func9ons of Public c. Scope of Service (including c. In Prolonga9on of Life
Health DOH programs)

d. The Philippine Health d. Members of healthcare
Agenda team
 Checklist
•  Read unit outcomes and unit objec9ves
•  Read course guide prior to class aWendance
•  Proac9vely par9cipate in discussions
•  Watch videos related to the topic
•  Par9cipate in discussion board (Canvas)
•  Answer and submit course unit tasks

 Required Readings
•  hWps://www.doh.gov.ph/sites/default/files/
publica9ons/NOH-2017-2022-030619-1.pdf

1.  Please download the ar9cle thru the given link.

2.  Read Chapter 1: The Philippines and its Health
System (pages 1-18)

NOTE: This has been assigned to you by your

instructor during the previous mee9ng
 NOTES
TOPIC 1
Introduc<on to Public Health
a. Defini9on of Health and Public Health
b. Health as a Human Right: Alma Ata
Declara9on
c. Core Func9ons of Public Health
d. The Philippine Health Agenda

 PUBLIC HEALTH
Public Health is a discipline which protects and
improves the health of communi9es through
educa9on, promo9on of healthy lifestyles, research
into disease and injury preven9on.

It deals with preven9on over the cura9ve aspects of
health.

Public Health is considered to be about the health
of people or communi9es, as opposed to individual
health – it is everyone’s responsibility.

 PUBLIC HEALTH
•  The concept of health is not unique and has changed
over the years due to changes in the health status of
the popula9on and the determining situa9ons of
health. This defini9on of public health, found in the
preamble of the cons9tu9on of WHO(1948), where
health is referred to as “a state of complete physical,
mental and social well-being and not merely absence
of disease.”

•  Public Health aims to create the right condi9ons in

order to provide this state of health for the benefit of
society.
 WHO Defini<on of Health
•  Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-
being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
•  The enjoyment of the highest aWainable standard of health is
one of the fundamental rights of every human being without
dis9nc9on of race, religion, poli9cal belief, economic or social
condi9on.
•  The health of all people is fundamental to the aWainment of
peace and security and is dependent on the fullest co-
opera9on of individuals and states.
•  The achievement of any state in the promo9on and
protec9on of health is of value to all.
 WHO Defini<on of Health
•  Unequal development in different countries in the promo9on of
health and control of diseases, especially communicable disease, is
a common danger.
•  Healthy development of the child is of basic importance; the ability
to live harmoniously in a changing total environment is essen9al to
such development.
•  The extension to all peoples of the benefits of medical,
psychological and related knowledge is essen9al to the fullest
aWainment of health.
•  Informed opinion and ac9ve co-opera9on on the part of the public
are of the utmost importance in the improvement of the health of
the people.
•  Governments have a responsibility for the health of their peoples
which can be fulfilled only by the provision of adequate health and
social measures.
 WHO Defini<on of Public Health
§  Public Health is defined as “the art and science of preven9ng 3p's
disease, prolonging life and promo9ng health through the
organized efforts of society” (Acheson, WHO). 1988
§  Ac9vi9es to strengthen public health capaci9es and service aim to
provide condi9ons under which people can maintain to be healthy,
improve their health and wellbeing, or prevent the deteriora9on of
their health.
§  Public health focuses on the en9re spectrum of health and
wellbeing, not only the eradica9on of par9cular diseases. Many
ac9vi9es are targeted at popula9ons such as health campaigns.
Public health services also include the provision of personal services
to individual persons, such as vaccina9ons, behavioural counselling,
or health advice.
 Health as a Human Right:
Alma Ata Declara<on

The Alma-Ata Declara<on of 1978 emerged as a major milestone of the
twen9eth century in the field of public health, and it iden9fied primary
health care as the key to the aWainment of the goal of Health for All.
The following are excerpts from the Declara9on:

•  The Conference strongly reaffirms that health, which is a state of

complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the
absence of disease or infirmity, is a fundamental human right and
that the aWainment of the highest possible level of health is a most
important world-wide social goal whose realiza9on requires the
ac9on of many other social and economic sectors in addi9on to the
health sector.
 Health as a Human Right:
Alma Ata Declara<on
•  the health status of the people,
The exis9ng gross inequality in
par9cularly between developed and developing countries as well as
within countries, is poli9cally, socially, and economically
unacceptable and is, therefore, of common concern to all countries.
•  The people have a right and duty to par9cipate individually and
collec9vely in the planning
and implementa9on of
their health care.
 Health as a Human Right:
Alma Ata Declara<on
•  health care based on prac9cal,
Primary health care is essen9al
scien9fically sound, and socially acceptable methods and
technology made universally accessible to individuals and
families in the community through their full par9cipa9on and at
a cost that the community and country can afford to maintain at
every stage of their development in the spirit of self-reliance and
self-determina9on.
•  It forms an integral part both of the country's health system, of
which it is the central func9on and main focus, and of the overall
social and economic development of the community. It is the
first level of contact of individuals, the family, and community
with the na9onal health system bringing health care as close as
possible to where people live and work, and cons9tutes the first
elements of a con9nuing health care process. 1st health center
-
 Health as a Human Right:
Alma Ata Declara<on
• 
An acceptable level of health for all the people of the world by the
year 2000 can be aWained through a fuller and beWer use of the
world's resources, a considerable part of which is now spent on
armaments and military conflicts.
•  A genuine policy of independence, peace, détente, and
disarmament could and should release addi9onal resources that
could well be devoted to peaceful aims and in par9cular to the
accelera9on of social and economic development of which primary
health care, as an essen9al part, should be alloWed its proper
share
 Core Func<ons of Public Health
1. Prevents epidemics and the spread of disease;
2. Protects against environmental hazards;
3. Promotes and encourages health behaviors and injury preven9on; yoga . .
.

4. Responds to disasters and assists communi9es in recovery; Linda and

such

5. Assures the quality and accessibility of health services.

Assessment
1. Monitor environmental and health
status to iden9fy and solve community
environmental health problems.
2. Diagnose and inves9gate environmental
health problems and health hazards
in the community.
rs malaria Palawan
-

search: Endemic ,
Pandemic
Epidemic ,

mortality , morbidity
 Core Func<ons of Public Health
Policy Development
3. Inform, educate, and empower people about environmental health
issues
4. Mobilize community partnerships and ac9ons to iden9fy and solve
environmental health problems
5. Develop policies and plans that
support individual and community
environmental health efforts



Core Func<ons of Public Health
Assurance
6. Enforce laws and regula9ons that protect
environmental health and ensure safety
7. Link people to needed environmental health services and
assure the provision of environmental health services when
otherwise unavailable
8. Assure a competent environmental health workforce
9. Evaluate effec9veness, accessibility,
and quality of personal and
popula9on-based environmental
health services
10. Research for new insights and
innova9ve solu9ons to
environmental health problems

Core Func<ons of Public Health
PHILIPPINE HEALTH AGENDA 2016 - 2022

In order to aWain health-related sustainable development
goals, the A.C.H.I.E.V.E. strategy is followed:

A- Advance quality, health promo9on and primary care
C- Cover all Filipinos against health-related financial risk Philhealth
-

H- Harness the power of strategic HRH development

I- Invest in eHealth and data for decision-making
E- Enforce standards, accountability and transparency
V- Value all clients and pa9ents, especially the poor,
marginalized, and vulnerable
E- Elicit mul9-sectoral and mul9-stakeholder support for health


With the Philippine Health Agenda 2016-2022, we will all ACHIEVE a
health system with the values of Equity, Quality, Efficiency,
Transparency, Accountability, Sustainability, Resilience towards “Lahat
Para sa Kalusugan! Tungo sa Kalusugan Para sa Lahat”.
 Video on Public Health
•  hWps://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=t_eWESXTnic
 NOTES
TOPIC 2
Differen<a<on of Public Health
from Clinical Health
a. Defini9on
b. SePng
c. Scope of Service (including DOH programs)
d. Members of the Healthcare Team

 Public Health Professionals
The work of public health professionals is important because public
health ini9a9ves affect people every day in every part of the world. It
addresses broad issues that can affect the health and well-being of
individuals, families, communi9es, popula9ons, and socie9es—both
now, and for genera9ons to come.

Public health programs help keep people alive. These programs have
led to:

v  increased life expectancies. estimate ofthe average of additional years that the person
of given expect number a age can to live

< 84.3 # Philippines 70.4 yrs

Aue
Highest life expectancy Japan : yrs
-

= -

L lowest 49.69 Eswatini Swaziland Ave : yrs

expectancy
life
-

=
op

v  worldwide reduc9ons in infant and child mortality. mortality of children age of

5 r under the ,
the
refers
also mortality under 5 rate

mortality child rate
five
dying exactly to the probability of between birth and years
of age express per 1,000 live births

v  eradica9on or reduc9on of many communicable diseases.

-

aka: infectious disease OR transmissible disease

individual human or other animal
-

are illnesses that result from the infection presence and growth of
pathogenic meaning they are capable or causing disease biologic agents in an
host .
 Public Health Approach

•  Primary focus on popula9ons;
•  Public service ethic, as an extension of concerns for the individual;
•  Emphasis on disease preven9on and health promo9on for the whole
community;
•  Public health paradigm employs a spectrum of interven9ons aimed at
the environment, human behavior and lifestyle, and medical care;
•  Variable cer9fica9on of specialists beyond professional public health
degree.
 Public Health Approach
•  Lines of specializa9on organized, for example, by:
–  analy9cal method (epidemiology, toxicology)
–  sePng and popula9on (occupa9onal health, global health)
–  substan9ve health problem (environmental health, nutri9on)

Employs:
•  Life sciences central, with a prime focus on major threats to the health of
popula9ons; research moves between laboratory and field. ( actual setting or community)
•  Popula9on sciences and quan9ta9ve disciplines essen9al features of
analysis and training.
•  Social and public policy disciplines are integral parts of public health
educa9on.


 Clinical Health Approach
•  Primary focus on individual
•  Personal service ethic, in the context of social responsibili9es
•  Emphasis on disease diagnosis, treatment, and care for the
[
individual pa9ent -
(
different lab
test
medication surgery

•  Medical paradigm places predominant emphasis on medical care

•  Uniform system for cer9fying specialists beyond professional
medical degree
•  Lines of specializa9on organized, for example, by:
–  organ system (cardiology, neurology)
–  pa9ent group (obstetrics, pediatrics)
–  e9ology and pathophysiology (infec9ous disease, oncology)
–  technical skill (radiology, surgery)

 Clinical Health Approach
Employs:
•  Biological sciences central, s9mulated by needs of pa9ents;
research moves between laboratory and bedside
•  Numerical sciences increasing in prominence, though s9ll a
rela9vely minor part of training
•  Social sciences tend to be an elec9ve part of medical educa9on
 Department of Health Programs
•  Adolescent and Youth Health Program (AYHP)
•  Bo9ka Ng Barangay (BnB)
•  Breasxeeding TSEK
•  Blood Dona9on Program
•  Belly Gud for Health
•  Child Health and Development Strategic Plan Year 2001-2004
•  CHD Scorecard
•  CommiWee of Examiners for Undertakers and Embalmers
•  CommiWee of Examiners for Massage Therapy (CEMT)
•  Climate Change
•  Cardiovascular Disease
•  Chronic Obstruc9ve Pulmonary Disease
 Department of Health Programs
•  Dental Health Program
•  Diabetes Preven9on and Control Program
•  Emerging and Re-emerging Infec9ous Disease Program
•  Environmental Health
•  Expanded Program on Immuniza9on
•  Essen9al Newborn Care
•  Family Planning Program
•  Food and Waterborne Diseases Preven9on and Control
Program
•  Food For9fica9on Program
•  Filariasis Control Program
•  Garan9sadong Pambata
 Department of Health Programs
•  Human Resource for Health Network
•  Health Development Program for Older Persons - (Bureau
or Office: Na9onal Center for Disease Preven9on and
Control )
•  Health Development Program for Older Persons - R.A. 7876
(Senior Ci9zens Center Act of the Philippines)
•  Health Development Program for Older Persons (Global
Movement for Ac9ve Ageing (Global Embrace 1999))
•  Health Development Program for Older Persons - R.A. 7432
(An Act to Maximize the Contribu9on of Senior Ci9zens to
Na9on Building, Grant Benefits and Special Privileges)
•  Health and Well-being of Older Persons
 Department of Health Programs
•  Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF)
•  Iligtas sa Tigdas ang Pinas
•  Inter Local Health Zone
•  Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI)
•  Knock Out Tigdas 2007
•  Leprosy Control Program
•  LGU Scorecard
•  Licensure Examina9ons for Paraprofessionals Undertaken
by the Department of Health
•  Malaria Control Program
•  Measles Elimina9on Campaign (Ligtas Tigdas)
•  Micronutrient Program
 Department of Health Programs
•  Na9onal Tuberculosis Control Program
•  Natural Family Planning
•  Na9onal Filariasis Elimina9on Program
•  Na9onal Rabies Preven9on and Control
Program
•  Newborn Screening
•  Na9onal HIV/STI Preven9on Program
•  Na9onal Mental Health Program
•  Na9onal Dengue Preven9on and Control
Program
 Department of Health Programs
•  Na9onal Preven9on of Blindness Program
•  Na9onal Mental Health Program
•  Na9onal Safe Motherhood Program
•  Occupa9onal Health Program
•  Oral Health Program
•  Persons with Disabili9es
•  Province-wide Investment Plan for Health (PIPH)
•  Philippine Medical Tourism Program
•  Provision of Potable Water Program (SALINTUBIG
Program - Sagana at Ligtas na Tubig Para sa Lahat)
•  Philippine Cancer Control Program
 Department of Health Programs
•  Rural Health Midwives Placement Program (RHMPP) /
Midwifery Scholarship Program of the Philippines (MSPP)
•  Schistosomiasis Control Program
•  Soil TransmiWed Helminthiasis Control Program
•  Smoking Cessa9on Program
•  Urban Health System Development (UHSD) Program
•  Unang Yakap (Essen9al Newborn Care: Protocol for New
Life)
•  Violence and Injury Preven9on Program
•  Women's Health and Safe Motherhood Project
•  Women and Children Protec9on Program
The Health Care Team
 Health Care Team
• 
A healthcare team is two or more health professionals (and,
when appropriate, other lay or professional people) who apply
their complementary professional skills to accomplish an
agreed-upon goal.
•  Coordinated, comprehensive pa9ent care is the primary goal of
most teams. Other goals may include educa9on of health
professionals, pa9ents, or families; community outreach;
advocacy; abuse preven9on; family support; ins9tu9onal
planning; networking; and u9liza9on review in hospitals.
•  The team approach to pa9ent care has been viewed as a means
of building and maintaining staff morale, improving the status of
a given profession (for example, nurses and allied health
professionals may become team collaborators with the physician
rather than working under the physician), or improving
ins9tu9onal efficiency.
 DOCTORS
Doctors, or physicians, are key members of the healthcare team. They
have years of educa9on and training. They may be primary care
doctors or specialists.

Primary care doctors
•  When pa9ents need medical care, they first go to primary care
doctors. Primary care doctors focus on preven9ve healthcare. This
includes regular check-ups, disease screening tests, immuniza9ons
and health counseling. Primary care doctors may be family
prac99oners, internal medicine or Osteopathic Doctors (OD's).
Pediatricians also provide primary care for babies, children and
teenagers. Primary care pediatricians treat day-to-day illnesses and
provide preven9ve care such as minor injuries, viral infec9ons,
immuniza9ons and check-ups.
 DOCTORS
Specialists
Specialists diagnose and treat condi9ons that require a special area of
knowledge. Pa9ents may see a specialist to diagnose or treat a specific
short-term condi9on or, if they have a chronic disease, they may see a
specialist on an ongoing basis. Examples of special9es include:
endocrinology, dermatology and obstetrics.


Physician Assistants (PA's)
Physician's Assistants are licensed to prac9ce medicine and are
supervised by a doctor. Their training is similar to a doctor's but they
do not complete an internship or residency. Like a medical doctor, a
physician's assistant can perform physical exams, order tests, diagnose
illnesses and prescribe medicine, assist in surgery, provide preven9ve
Healthcare counseling
 NURSES
Nurses work closely with pa9ents. A nurse’s job du9es depend on
their educa9on, area of specialty and work sePng. Types of nurses
include:

ü  Licensed Prac9cal Nurses (LPN) are also called Licensed Voca9on
Nurses. They train for about one year at a community college or
voca9onal school and are licensed by their state.
ü  Registered Nurses (RN’s) are licensed by their state. They may have
completed a diploma program, an associate’s (2-year) degree or a
bachelor’s (4-year) degree.
ü  Advanced Prac9ce Nurses are nurses who have more educa9on and
experience than RN’s. Examples of advanced prac9ce nurses are
clinical nurse specialists, nurse anesthe9st, nurse midwife and
nurse prac99oner
 PHARMACISTS
Pharmacists give pa9ents medicines that are prescribed, or
recommended, by a doctor. They tell pa9ents how to use
medicines and answer ques9ons about side effects.
Some9mes pharmacists help doctors choose which medicines
to give pa9ents and let doctors know if combina9ons of
medicines may interact and harm pa9ents
ü  Pharmacy Technicians help pharmacists prepare prescrip9on
medica9ons. They also provide customer service and perform
administra9ve du9es such as take prescrip9on requests, count pills,
label boWles and prepare insurance forms. There are no standard
training requirements for pharmacy technicians, but some States
require a high school diploma or its equivalent. Some pharmacy
technicians are trained on-the-job and others complete a
cer9ficate, which takes 6 months to 2 years.


 DENTISTS

Den9sts diagnose and treat problems with teeth and mouth, along
with giving advice and administering care to help prevent future
problems. They teach pa9ents about brushing, flossing, fluoride, and
other aspects of dental care. They treat tooth decay, fill cavi9es and
replace missing teeth
 Technologists and Technicians
Technologists and technicians have a technical role in diagnosing or
trea9ng disease. They work in a variety of sePngs. Examples of
technologists and technicians include:

ü  Laboratory Technologists help providers diagnose and treat disease
by analyzing body fluids and cells. They look for bacteria or
parasites, analyze chemicals, match blood for transfusions, or test
for drug levels in the blood to see how a pa9ent is responding to
treatment.
 Radiology Technologists
ü  Radiology Technologists, also called radiographers, help providers
diagnose and treat disease by taking x-rays.
For some procedures technologists make a solu9on that pa9ents drink
to help soz body 9ssues can be seen. Radiology technologists are can
specialize in computed tomography (CT scans), Magne9c Resonance
Imaging (MRI’s) or mammography.
Therapists and Rehabilita<on Specialists
Therapists and rehabilita9on specialists help people recover from
physical changes caused by a medical condi9on, chronic disease or
injury. Types of rehabilita9on specialists include physical therapists,
occupa9onal therapists and speech therapists.

ü  Occupa9onal Therapists help pa9ents perform tasks needed for

every-day living or working. They work with pa9ents who have
physical, mental or developmental disabili9es. This includes stroke
pa9ents who have lost func9on on one side of their body, heart or
lung disease pa9ents with ac9vity or breathing limita9ons, or
diabetes pa9ents who have had a limb amputated. Occupa9onal
therapists help clients find new ways to dress, cook, eat or work.
They may visit pa9ents in their home or workplace to find adap9ve
equipment or teach pa9ents new ways to do things.

ü  Physical Therapists (PT's) help pa9ents when they have an injury,
disability or medical condi9on that limits their ability to move or
func9on. Physical therapists test a pa9ent's strength and ability to
move and create a treatment plan. The goal of treatment is to
improve mobility, reduce pain, restore func9on or prevent further
disability. PT's may treat pa9ents who have had an amputa9on,
stroke, injury or chronic disease.
ü  Respiratory Therapists treat and care for pa9ents with breathing
problems. They work with all types of pa9ents including premature
babies, older people with lung disease, or pa9ents with asthma or
emphysema
ü  Speech Therapists are also called speech-language pathologists.
They work with pa9ents who have problems related to speech,
communica9on or swallowing. These problems may be caused by
cancer, stroke or brain injury. Speech therapists tailor care plans to
each pa9ent's needs. If a pa9ent has a problem speaking, the
therapist may teach them to use communica9on devices, sign
language or alterna9ve ways to communicate. For problems
swallowing, they may teach pa9ents to strengthen muscles or new
ways to swallow food and liquids without choking
Emo<onal, Social and Spiritual Support
The team members we have talked about so far provide physical support.
There are many healthcare team members who provide emo9onal, social and
spiritual support.

Mental Health Professionals
Mental Health Professionals help with the emo9onal aspect of living with a
chronic disease.
ü  Psychiatrists are medical doctors (MD's) who diagnose and treat mental,
emo9onal and behavioral disorders. This includes disorders of the brain,
nervous system and drugs or chemical abuse.
ü  Psychologists deal with mental processes, especially during 9mes of
stress.
ü  Most psychologists do not prescribe medicine, but treat pa9ents with
counseling and psychotherapy ("talk" therapy).

 SOCIAL WORKERS
Social Workers
Social workers in a clinical or hospital sePng help pa9ents and families
cope with emo9onal, physical and financial issues related to an illness.
Depending on a pa9ent's need a social worker may help coordinate
services such as housing, transporta9on, financial assistance, meals,
long-term care, or hospice care. Social workers may also refer pa9ents
to mental health professionals for emo9onal or substance abuse
support.
 CLERGY
Religion or spirituality can be important for people coping with illness.
Members of the clergy such as priests, ministers and rabbis provide
pa9ents with spiritual support. They may listen to pa9ents, counsel
them on religious or spiritual philosophy. They may also perform
religious sacraments or rites such as special blessings, communion or
last rights.
 OTHER MEMBERS
Administra<ve and Support Staff
Administra9ve and support staff facilitate pa9ent care within the
hospital system.
Administra9ve and Clerical Staff
Administra9ve and clerical staff coordinate and facilitate pa9ent care.
They schedule appointments, answer phones, greet pa9ents, keep
medical records, handle medical billing, fill out insurance forms,
arrange for laboratory or other diagnos9c services, and handle
financial records. Some job 9tles of administra9ve or clerical staff
include: Clinic Coordinator, Administra9ve Medical Assistant
Medical Records Specialist, Medical Billing Specialist, Financial
Counselor, Scheduler

 OTHER MEMBERS
Volunteers
Volunteers are an important part of the healthcare team. The du9es of
volunteers can vary widely. Volunteers may have administra9ve du9es
and work in recep9on areas or giz shops. In a medical office they may
file documents, answer phones, help with health screening or deliver
documents to various parts of the hospital. "Advanced Volunteers"
have special training and may work closely pa9ents under the
supervision of a nurse or doctor.

 OTHER MEMBERS
Community Health Workers and Pa<ent Navigators
ü  Community health workers and pa9ent navigators play an
important role on the healthcare team. Community Health
Workers, or Outreach Workers, work in community sePngs. They
link pa9ents to primary care providers, health informa9on, health
screening, financial assistance or transporta9on.

ü  Pa9ent navigators usually work in a clinic or a hospital. They work
closely with pa9ents to reduce the barriers that keep them from
gePng Healthcare. Barriers may be related to low income,
transporta9on, childcare, language or ability to read forms and
understand the healthcare system.

 Videos on DOH Health Programs
•  hWps://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=yej2P1Ohutw
•  hWps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjdd-
QgLCNk
NOTES
TOPIC 3
Pharmacists as Public Health
Professionals

a. In Preven9on of Disease
b. In Promo9on of Health S9gma
-Discrimina9on
-Pill-shaming
c. In Prolonga9on of Life
 PHARMACISTS in PUBLIC HEALTH
•  Health-system pharmacists play a vital role in maintaining and
promo9ng public health. It is believed that all health-system
pharmacists have a responsibility to par9cipate in global, na9onal,
state, regional, and ins9tu9onal efforts to promote public health
and to integrate them into their prac9ces and that health-system
pharmacists should be involved in the planning, development, and
implementa9on of public health efforts.
•  Heath-system pharmacists can improve public health by providing
popula9on-based care; developing disease preven9on and control
programs; providing health educa9on; and collabora9ng with local
authori9es to address local and regional healthcare needs
Pharmacists in Preven<on of Diseases

v In light of work force shortages among health

professionals, pharmacists may act as first
responders, providing clinical advice to include
over-the-counter (OTC) relief that may aid in
decreasing unnecessary emergency room visits for
common condi9ons.

Vitamins ; Ailments
: ,
colds cough sakitsatiyan
,
v  Pharmacists are ozen involved in the clinical
management of chronic diseases, and minor disease
diagnosis and treatment. Further, pharmacists
provide an excellent source of human capital to the
community by conduc9ng primary preven9on
through health educa9on.
Primary preven<on is the essence of public health.
Consequently, greater emphasis regarding the role of
pharmacists in the public health infrastructure needs to
be recognized.

v Pharmacists also provide rehabilita9on support to individuals
and communi9es by giving advice on the use and selec9on of
surgical appliances and equipment. The literature is abundant
with examples of the pharmacist func9oning in hypertensive
and colorectal screening, sexually transmiWed disease control
and contracep9on programs, providing health educa9on, and
advising pa9ents of OTC drug choice and use. In rural areas,
pharmacists have supported environmental programs such as
water pollu9on control, chemotherapeu9c agents, sanita9on,
and waste disposal.
v In many rural areas that have fewer available resources,
the local pharmacist offers a much needed source of
clinical exper9se. This is also true in impoverished urban
areas. Pharmacists are par9cularly valuable assets in
these disenfranchised sub-sectors of the community,
because the pharmacist acts as an easily accessible
resource for health informa9on and screening. Through
consulta9on with local pharmacists, many community
members may avoid costly emergency room visits for
those common acute ailments or condi9ons that
temporary OTC drugs could provide relief.
 Defining S<gma
S9gma as a harmful societal phenomenon has
been iden9fied as a process that begins when a
specific trait or group is labelled and linked to
nega9ve stereotypes, leading to status loss and
discrimina9on for those carrying the trait.
 Defining discrimina<on
As defined by interna9onal human rights law, discrimina9on includes
any act or behavior that has the inten9on or effect of impairing the
enjoyment of fundamental human rights by all people on an equal
foo9ng, including the right to access health care.
•  The right to non-discrimina9on implies
that people are treated with respect for
their human dignity, autonomy, privacy
and confiden9ality, and that their
Freedom from coercion and abuse
is guaranteed on equal basis,
including in rela9on
to health care
 Pill-shaming Phenomenon
Pill shaming refers to prejudice against people who take medica9on,
but the term is used almost exclusively in the mental health
community.

It’s a type of societal s9gma, and can be anything from an individual
comment to a meme on social media.
For people suffering from things
like depression and anxiety, pill shaming
and other s9gma9za9on can cause
them to stop taking their medica9on.
 Pharmacists on Health S<gma

•  As experts in pharmacotherapy, pharmacists can provide
complementary skills, knowledge and aPtudes to other health care
professionals within a mul9disciplinary team context. Specifically
pharmacists may contribute to health care teams by:
1.  Detec9ng and resolving or preven9ng drug related problems;
2.  Helping to ensure the safe and efficacious use of medicines;
3.  Providing comprehensive drug informa9on to pa9ents and other
health care professionals;
4.  Promo9ng medica9on adherence; and reinforcing primary
preven9on and health promo9on and lifestyle modifica9on
ac9vi9es in the community.


•  Pharmacists may work across primary (i.e., community pharmacy or
general prac9ce) and secondary care (i.e., specialized care) sePngs.
Pharmacists working in hospital and residen9al aged care sePngs
may ozen have access to the pa9ents’ clinical chart and also to
established communica9on channels with other health providers.
•  This greatly facilitates the integra9on of pharmacists in caring for
people with mental disorders in these sePngs.
Some studies point to the posi9ve effects
of the integra9on of pharmacists into
the mul9disciplinary team caring
for people with mental illness.
•  One study has explored health professionals and consumers
aPtudes to the role of pharmacists working as collabora9ve
prescribers in mental health in secondary care. Both health
professionals and consumers acknowledged the role of pharmacists
as collabora9ve prescribers in mental health, as well as in
medica9on management azer assessment and diagnosis by a
medical prac99oner, and as an integral member of the
mul9disciplinary team.

•  Both health professionals and consumers acknowledged the role of

pharmacists as collabora9ve prescribers in mental health, as well as
in medica9on management azer assessment and diagnosis by a
medical prac99oner, and as an integral member of the
mul9disciplinary team
 Pharmacists on Pallia9ve Care
•  Concurrent to changes in pallia9ve care, primary health reform has
resulted in more pa9ents being cared for and dying in their home
or community-based facility. Pharmacists care for pa9ents with
pallia9ve needs from the beginning of their career, making the
principles of pallia9ve care an essen9al component of a robust
pharmacy educa9on.
•  Op9mizing medica9on-related outcomes is one strategy to assist a
person with achieving their end-of-life goals. These goals are
inherently subjec9ve and relate to op9mizing func9on in all
domains of personhood. That is, all of the elements that provide a
person with their sense of self, including physical, psychological,
social, existen9al, and financial.
•  Pharmacotherapy is a key treatment modality for managing
symptoms such as pain, dyspnea, nausea, and confusion – all
commonly experienced by pallia9ve pa9ents regardless of
underlying disease. The heterogeneous pallia9ve care popula9on
are ozen excluded from clinical trials; the best available evidence
may therefore be principles-based applica9on of pharmacology,
physiology, and understanding the experience of the pa9ent in
front of you. Interpre9ng this “grey” evidence base requires
pharmacists to apply both technical and humanis9c knowledge and
skills.
 Pharmacists on Pallia<ve Care
•  An increasing burden of chronic disease and an aging popula9on
bring growing demands for pallia9ve care, seeing it expand beyond
end-of-life cancer care to a broad prac9ce that is independent of
diagnosis.
•  To meet this social need, strategies have been implemented at
individual and popula9on levels to
integrate principles of pallia9ve
care across disciplines and
care sePngs, promo9ng
pallia9ve care
as “everyone’s business.
Videos of Role of Pharmacist in Public
Health
•  hWps://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=XT4YrP_cSK0
•  hWps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RW4g-
HmDUX0&t=14s
 Summary
•  Public Health is defined as “the art and science of preven9ng disease,
prolonging life and promo9ng health through the organized efforts of
society” (Acheson, 1988; WHO).
•  The Alma-Ata Declara9on of 1978 emerged as a major milestone of the
twen9eth century in the field of public health, and it iden9fied primary health
care as the key to the aWainment of the goal of Health for All.
•  In order to aWain health-related sustainable development goals, the
A.C.H.I.E.V.E. strategy is followed:
A- Advance quality, health promo9on and primary care
C- Cover all Filipinos against health-related financial risk
H- Harness the power of strategic HRH development
I- Invest in eHealth and data for decision-making
E- Enforce standards, accountability and transparency
V- Value all clients and pa9ents, especially the poor, marginalized, and
vulnerable
E- Elicit mul9-sectoral and mul9-stakeholder support for health
3 Resources for
i '

* .
-

Uman Ea
 Summary
•  Public Health’s primary role is in control and preven9on of disease
in popula9ons or groups of individuals, some ac9vi9es (e.g.
diagnosing cases associated with outbreaks and trea9ng persons
with communicable diseases such as tuberculosis) may overlap with
those in clinical medicine.
•  Clinical Health’s primary role is diagnosis and treatment of illness in
individuals, preven9ve medicine(e.g. immuniza9ons, smoking
cessa9on, obesity counselling and other behavioral/lifestyle
concerns) has only been addressed recently focus remains on the
individuals.
 Summary
•  A healthcare team is two or more health professionals (and, when
appropriate, other lay or professional people) who apply their
complementary professional skills to accomplish an agreed-upon
goal. Coordinated, comprehensive pa9ent care is the primary goal
of most teams. Other goals may include educa9on of health
professionals, pa9ents, or families; community outreach; advocacy;
abuse preven9on; family support; ins9tu9onal planning;
networking; and u9liza9on review in hospitals.
•  The team approach to pa9ent care has been viewed as a means of
building and maintaining staff morale, improving the status of a
given profession (for example, nurses and allied health
professionals may become team collaborators with the physician
rather than working under the physician), or improving ins9tu9onal
efficiency.
 Summary
•  Pharmacists are ozen involved in the clinical management of
chronic diseases, and minor disease diagnosis and treatment.
•  Pharmacists are par9cularly valuable assets in these
disenfranchised sub-sectors of the community, because the
pharmacist acts as an easily accessible resource for health
informa9on and screening. Through consulta9on with local
pharmacists, many community members may avoid costly
emergency room visits for those common acute ailments or
condi9ons that temporary OTC drugs could provide relief.
•  As defined by interna9onal human rights law, discrimina9on
includes any act or behavior that has the inten9on or effect of
impairing the enjoyment of fundamental human rights by all
people on an equal foo9ng, including the right to access health
care.
 Summary
•  Pill shaming refers to prejudice against people who take
medica9on, but the term is used almost exclusively in the mental
health community.
•  Pharmacists may work across primary (i.e., community pharmacy or
general prac9ce) and secondary care (i.e., specialized care) sePngs.
Pharmacists working in hospital and residen9al aged care sePngs
may ozen have access to the pa9ents’ clinical chart and also to
established communica9on channels with other health providers.
•  Concurrent to changes in pallia9ve care, primary health reform has
resulted in more pa9ents being cared for and dying in their home
or community-based facility. Pharmacists care for pa9ents with
pallia9ve needs from the beginning of their career, making the
principles of pallia9ve care an essen9al component of a robust
pharmacy educa9on.
 References
Krska, Janet. Pharmacy in Public Health First edi9on

Hoai-An Truong, James L. BreseWe and Jill A. Sellers. (2010).The Pharmacist in
Public Health: Educa9on, Applica9ons, and Opportuni9es

Dayrit, Manuel M., et.al., The Philippines Health System Review, Health Systems
in Transi9on. Nov. 2018, Vol. 8.

Clinical pharmacist interven9ons on an asser9ve community treatment team.
Gable KN, Stunson MJ, Community Ment Health J. 2010 Aug; 46(4):351-5.

Collabora9ve prescribing: a qualita9ve explora9on of a role for pharmacists in mental
health. Wheeler A, Crump K, Lee M, Li L, Patel A, Yang R, Zhao J, Jensen M
Res Social Adm Pharm. 2012 May-Jun; 8(3):179-92.

The public health strategy for pallia9ve care. Stjernswärd J, Foley KM, Ferris FD
J Pain Symptom Manage. 2007 May; 33(5):486-93.


 Helpful Sites
www.who.com
www.doh.gov.ph
www.cdc.gov
www.hsph.harvard.edu
www.ashp.org



 Assignment
Reminder: Prepare for Online Quiz.
Assignment:
1.  What is epidemiology?
2.  Describe the func9ons, types, concepts and measures
of Epidemiology
3.  Iden9fy the levels of disease and the different
epidemic paWerns.
4.  Give some examples of epidemiological measures.
Note: Submit this thru email before the first lecture on
Module 2 (Epidemiology)
 REQUIRED READING for NEXT
MODULE
hWps://journals.plos.org/plosntds/ar9cle?
id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0003027
1.  Please download the journal ar9cle thru the
given link.
2.  Read Epidemiology of Dengue Disease in the
Philippines 2010-2011: A Systema9c
Literature Review
3.  Submit a Journal Ar9cle Review before
Module 3 discussion.