If a society is going to achieve all that it can achieve, then it needs to be healthy. Alas, this isn’t always possible. As soon as one health issue has been put to bed, it seems as if there’s a new one that’s threatening the livelihood and prosperity of the community. That’s why it’s so important that there are public health professionals staying up to date with the latest health concerns so that they can educate the public and make the nation healthier.

They do this by looking at the more prevalent and serious health conditions and finding new and engaging ways to get the public to take preventative measures to reduce the likelihood of developing these health conditions. Think of smoking, for example. There was a time when a big percentage of the nation were smokers, and it caused serious health problems for many. But by educating the public, public health officials were able to change the image of smoking, and make it unappealing.

Today, they focus on the biggest threats to society. This can include things like the dangers of sedentary lifestyles, as well as things such as alcohol and drug addiction, and also motor vehicle accidents. The primary function is to look at ways to prevent the most serious medical conditions from occurring in the first place, rather than trying to cure or manage them later on and also work to create policies that enact healthier changes in the law. To learn more, take a look at the infographic below.