Public health is an important part of the healthcare system in Canada. The key areas of focus for public health policy include population health, health protection, prevention services, regional substance abuse, and priority populations. Public health policy influences safe food and water access, drug and tobacco regulation, disease prevention and immunization, and addiction and mental health services. Provincial Ministries of Health are primarily responsible for public health policy, while regional health authorities provide local services to meet community needs. The Canadian federal government provides funding for public health initiatives and collaborates with provinces to achieve shared objectives. Public health is an essential subset of the Canadian healthcare system and significantly impacts every aspect of life.
https://www.vch.ca/en/about-us/public-health
| • Concentrates on population level health issues | • Concentrates on individual level health issues |
|---|---|
| • Focuses on disease prevention and health promotion | • Focuses on disease treatment |
| • Resources devoted to upstream approaches that will impact large populations | • Resources devoted to address |
| • Publicly funded in Canada | • Publically Funded in Canada |
| • Includes Epidemiologists, Public Health Nurses, Environmental Health Officers, Public Health Dietitian etc. | • Includes Doctors, Nurses, Paramedics Dentists, pharmacists etc. |
| • Develops nutrition guidelines and educates public on benefits of living a healthy lifestyle | • Works with individuals to create meal plans and exercise programs that suit their specific health requirements |
| • Monitors infectious disease outbreaks and puts in place disease prevention measures such as social distancing, proper ventilation and vaccine requirements | • Treats patients that are suffering from infectious diseases |
| • Studies the effects of Climate Change on health of communities and advises government on policies to minimize negative health effects | • Provides additional care and resources to those most at risk for adverse outcomes caused by ((())) weather events such as heat waves |
| • Educates public on the risks of drug use and advocates for policies that reduce harm | • Prescribes prescription drugs and treats those suffering from an overdose or drug misuse |
