Public Health Australia: An Introduction, 2nd Edition

Preface

Acknowledgments

Abbreviations used in this book

Introduction: The contributions of public health

Section One The principles of public health
Chapter 1 Public health definitions and values
Chapter 2 The history of public health
Chapter 3 Major public health problems
Chapter 4 Public health research
Chapter 5 Epidemiological methods: uses in public health
Chapter 6 Epidemiology for planning health services
Chapter 7 Determinants of health
Chapter 8 Prevention
Chapter 9 Developing public health priorities
Chapter 10 Evidence-based public health

Section Two Risk factors for health and disease
Chapter 11 Behavioural risk factors
Chapter 12 Health and socioeconomic status
Chapter 13 Health and the physical environment
Chapter 14 Alcohol, tobacco and other drug use
Chapter 15 Nutrition and physical activity

Section Three The causes of most Australian deaths
Chapter 16 Cardiovascular diseases
Chapter 17 Cancer
Chapter 18 Trauma

Section Four Conditions responsible for widespread acute and chronic disability
Chapter 19 Mental ill health
Chapter 20 Communicable disease and sexually transmitted infections
Chapter 21 Respiratory diseases
Chapter 22 Musculoskeletal disorders, and arthritis
Chapter 23 Diabetes
Chapter 24 Dental health, eye health and other problems of public health importance

Section Five The health problems affecting special populations
Chapter 25 Adolescent health, maternal and child health, and health of the aged
Chapter 26 Aboriginal health
Chapter 27 Migrant health
Chapter 28 Occupational health

Conclusion

Index

[Public health is the study of health promotion and the prevention of disease and injury in whole populations and communities. The scope and coverage of this subject is broad, spanning a range of issues related to health, socioeconomic factors and medical and allied health areas and therefore has relevance to a number of disciplines.

Public Health Australia: An Introduction is a comprehensive reference on the basic principles, language, concepts and practice of public health in Australia. In this complete revision of the first edition, James Lawson is joined by Adrian Bauman as co-author in presenting a thorough update of the key areas in public health. In addition to an interesting background on pivotal discoveries in medical history, the book explores epidemiological methods, common conditions, Aboriginal health and physical and mental health.

Review of the first edition:

'The book will be a very useful standard text for those wishing to study public health or epidemiology.'
Peter Baume
Head of School of Community Medicine, University of New South Wales, Australia.