1.1 History of Public Health

Learning Outcomes

After completing this module, the student will be able to:

  • Explain the evolution of concepts about the cause and prevention of disease.
  • Describe the importance of studying the factors associated with outcomes in a systematic way in human populations.
  • Discuss some of the major historical figures and events that played a role in the evolution of public health and epidemiology.
  • Describe the overall structure of the public health system in the United States today.

Developed by Wayne W. LaMorte, MD, PhD, MPH, Assistant Dean for Education, Boston University School of Public Health.