3/22/23, 6:21 PM 6 Public Health Issues to Know in 2023 + Jobs Tackling Them | Coursera

Articles Health 6 Public Health Issues to Know in 2023 + Jobs Tackling Them

6 Public Health Issues to Know in 2023 + Jobs Tackling

Them
Written by Coursera • Updated on Dec 21, 2022 Share

Public health is an important aspect of health care focused on preventing illnesses from developing
within the population at large. Here are six public health issues you should know about in 2023.

Public help professionals work to improve the overall health and well-being of the public at large.
Whether they’re preventing diseases or addressing pre-existing conditions, public health
professionals seek to provide the highest quality of care to the largest number of people. 

But, what are the issues that you should know about, if you want to enter the field? 

In this article, you’ll explore six important public health issues impacting Americans today and find a
list of common professions working to remedy them. At the end, you’ll also find suggested online
courses to help you explore this important career further. 

6 current public health issues you should know 

There is no shortage of important public health issues that are worth tackling. Here are just six
prevalent public health issues in the United States that you should know about, if you’re considering a
career in the field. 

Cardiovascular disease 

Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death in the United States. According to the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), heart disease accounted for one in every five deaths in the
United States in 2020. In total, the CDC estimates that approximately 697,000 people in the United
States died from heart disease that year, amounting to approximately one death every 34 seconds [1]. 

The most common causes of heart disease in the United States are coronary artery disease (CAD) and
heart attacks. 

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HIV

Despite significant medical and health advances in recent years, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
remains a persistent public health concern in both the United States and the world. 

HIV is a virus that attacks an individual’s white blood cells, leading to a weakened immune system. If
left untreated, HIV can lead to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), which can have a more
severe impact on an individual’s immune system, their susceptibility to contracting illness, and their
life expectancy. According to the CDC, an estimated 1,189,700 people in the United States had HIV at
the end of 2019. In 2020, meanwhile, 30,635 people received an HIV diagnosis [2]. 

While today HIV or AIDS are conditions that can be managed with appropriate treatments, their
spread continues to be a concern for public health professionals.  

Obesity 

Physical health has a significant impact on the overall health outcomes of both individuals and the
general public. The CDC indicates that 41.9 percent of adults in America can be classified as obese (an
increase from 30.5 percent) and 9.2 percent can be classified as “severely obese” [3]. 

While what constitutes a healthy weight can vary considerably from one person to another, excess
weight can open the door to a wide range of health conditions. Obesity, for example, has been tied to
such potentially life-threatening conditions as stroke, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain kinds
of cancer. 

Key factors in weight gain are nutrition and physical fitness, which can help individuals maintain
healthy weights that decrease their likelihood of developing a life-threatening condition. 

Substance abuse: Prescription drugs and alcohol

Substance abuse, particularly through the misuse of prescription drugs and excessive alcohol
consumption, is a prevalent public health problem in the United States. 

For example, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse approximately 16.1 million Americans
over the age of 12 reported misusing prescription drugs over a 12-month period in 2020 [4]. The 2019
National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), meanwhile, identified approximately 14.5 million
Americans ages 12 and older as having an alcohol use disorder (AUD) [5].

Cancer

Cancer is an increasingly common disease that causes harmful cells to multiply uncontrollably.
Unfortunately, while various treatments exist for many types of cancer, there is currently no known
cure. 

In the United States in 2019, the CDC reported that there were 1,752,735 new cancer cases and
599,589 people who died from the disease [6]. Unfortunately, the chances of developing cancer are on
the rise. According to researchers at Harvard University and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, the odds
of someone under 50 developing cancer has increased with each generation [7].

Mental health and suicide

Mental health is a critical aspect of public health. In addition to having a profound impact on the
emotional and psychological health of individuals, mental health can also impact physical health. 

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Though mental health disorders can be difficult to see from the outside, the reality is that a large
percentage of the population deal with mental health problems every day. According to Mental Health
America, 20.78 percent of adults in America – more than 50 million people – experienced some form
of mental illness between 2019 and 2020 [8]. 

Unfortunately, the majority of these mental illnesses are left untreated and attendant issues, such as
suicidal thoughts, are common among suffering individuals. In addition to being the third leading
cause of death among Americans aged 15 to 24, approximately 125 Americans die by suicide every
day [9]. 

Public health jobs to consider 

Public health is a big field tackling a host of big health care challenges. Thankfully, there’s a large
number of skilled public health professionals focused on resolving these problems. Whether you
enjoy working with people or researching in a lab, public health has something for you. 

Some common public health careers you might consider pursuing include: 

Epidemiologist
Virologist 
Biostatistician 
Public health educator
Public health analyst
Social and community services manager 
Public health policy maker 
Public health consultant

Read more: 7 Public Health Careers (+ How to Get Started)

Prepare for a public health career with Coursera

Public health professionals are integral to solving the important health problems that plague our
communities every day. Work toward a future career in public health by enrolling in a cost-effective
online course, specialization, or degree through Coursera today. 

Imperial College London’s Foundations of Public Health Specialization introduces course takers to the
principles that underpin public health and how to apply appropriate health interventions in order to
improve public health programs. 

Johns Hopkins’ Epidemiology in Public Health Practice Specialization, meanwhile, provides course
takers with the core epidemiologic toolset to measure the health of populations, assess interventions,
collect and analyze data, and investigate outbreaks and epidemics.

Foundations of Public Health Practice

Specialization

Beginner level · 4 month(s)

4.8 (361 ratings)

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Article sources

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Written by Coursera • Updated on Dec 21, 2022 Share

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