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Public Health : Preventing Avoidable Injuries Essay

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Public health is preventing, educating, revealing, communicating and researching in an effort to optimize the health of a community. Nurses play a critical role in public health by working to prevent avoidable injuries and accidents. Nurses educate the community by providing information to promote healthy behaviors and a healthier environment. Statistics and observations also play a critical role in public health by revealing health discrepancies in communities. Public health involves conducting research that guides best practices. According to the American Public Health Association, “Public health promotes and protects the health of people and the communities where they live, learn, work and play” (2016). Overall, public health is a commitment to improvement.
A windshield survey is “observations of various components of the community, such as housing, open spaces, transportation, race, ethnicity, restaurants, and stores (Truglio-Londrigan & Lewenson, 2013). Observations provide subjective knowledge of a neighborhood. The knowledge and data collected can provide guidance in areas of the neighborhood or community that need improvement and identify areas that promote health. A windshield survey provides information about a community’s determinant of health, or what is promoted and deterring health in the community. Once determinants of health are identified, that information can be used to prioritize community needs and promote action towards resolving those needs.
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