565740

research-article2015
APHXXX10.1177/1010539514565740Asia-Pacific Journal of Public HealthBinns and Low

Editorial
Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health
2015, Vol. 27(1) 5­–6
What Is Public Health? © 2015 APJPH
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DOI: 10.1177/1010539514565740
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Colin Binns, MBBS, MPH, PhD1 and

Wah-Yun Low, MSc, PhD2

At the time of the formation of the World Health Organization in 1946, one of its first achieve-
ments was to create a brilliant new definition of health: “Health is a state of complete physical,
mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”1 This definition
has lasted 7 decades without modification as it reflects the multidimensional nature of health. If
it has a fault, it lies in its idealism; a “complete state of health” will not achievable on our planet
in the foreseeable future. The mission of public health is therefore to achieve an equitable distri-
bution of health for the total population.
Specific definitions of public health include the following:
The American Public Health Association states “Public health promotes and protects the
health of people and the communities where they live, learn, work and play.”2
The Public Health Association of Australia discusses its role in the following way: “Public
health includes, but goes beyond the treatment of individuals to encompass health promotion,
prevention of disease and disability, recovery and rehabilitation, and disability support.” This
framework, together with attention to the social, economic and environmental determinants of
health, provides particular relevance to, and expertly informs the Association’s role.3
The Asia-Pacific Academic Consortium for Public Health (APACPH) has a

vision to achieve the highest possible level of health of all the people of the nations of the Asia-
Pacific region. The Mission of the Consortium is to enhance Regional capacity to improve the quality
of life and to address major public health challenges through the delivery of education, research and
population health services by member institutions.”4

The common theme of all discussions of public health is that it deals with the health of popula-
tions, in contrast to our clinical colleagues who in the first instance are concerned with restoring,
maintaining and improving the health of an individual. Public health seeks to improve the health
of the whole community with an emphasis on protection, prevention of disease, and promotion
of well-being. The key themes in the concept are populations, prevention, and equity. The basic
skill for all involved in public health is a thorough understanding of the principles of epidemiol-
ogy which provides tools to understand disease patterns, risk factors, and the outcomes of pre-
vention and treatment activities. These skills are particularly relevant to the equitable distribution
of scarce health resources.
The principles that are fundamental to schools of public health are science, education, and
compassion. These principles are expanded in the values of APACPH. To improve health public

1Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia

2University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Corresponding Author:
Colin Binns, School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, GPO Box U 1987, Perth, Western
Australia, Australia.
Email: c.binns@curtin.edu.au
6 Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health 27(1)

health interventions must be based on good science and hence this journal’s emphasis on good
epidemiology and statistical analysis. The APACPH values of quality, “effectiveness and effi-
ciency,” and “evidence-based medicine” reflect how we value good science. All good science
builds on previous science and the APJPH plays an important role in publicizing public health
science within our region. Public health also has a core value of education of health professionals
and populations, and for the latter the disciplines of health promotion and health literacy are
central to schools of public health. APACPH reflects this theme in its values of “learning and
knowledge development,” “partnership and networking,” and “capacity building and leadership
development.” Finally, we must add compassion to our core values. Public health involves peo-
ple and as an important member of the caring professions public health workers. APACPH cham-
pions the values of “respect for diversity,” “equity,” “ethics,” and “collegiality.”4
Public health works to monitor disease outbreaks, both acute and chronic, to prevent injuries
and to understand the distribution of risk factors in our communities. By its very nature public
health is global health as epidemics of disease, whether acute or chronic are no respecter of bor-
ders. Those working in public health are expected to promote laws that protect health and the
promotion of smoking controls and the use of seatbelts and helmets are important examples in
our region. They must also be aware of global problems as the relatively recent problems of
severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), HIV, and Ebola have shown us.
This issue of the journal is dedicated to the memory of the life of Professor Walter Patrick, the
late Secretary General of APACPH and his work. Walter believed in the science of public health,
he was passionate about the importance of the education of professionals and he always showed
his compassionate personality.
In answer to our question “What is public health?” Walter Patrick was public health in person.
He particularly advocated for community-based field education to ensure that all public health
students understood the need for health equity in all regions of the country.5 He will be greatly
missed by all his colleagues and in this issue his colleagues pay tribute to him by remembering
his work and facets of public health that he was interested in. As a further tribute, we include
several articles from his home country of Sri Lanka.

References
1. World Health Organization. Preamble to the Constitution of the World Health Organization as adopted
by the International Health Conference, New York, 19-22 June, 1946; signed on 22 July 1946 by the
representatives of 61 States (Official Records of the World Health Organization, no. 2, p. 100) and
entered into force on 7 April 1948. Geneva, Switzarland: World Health Organization; 1946.
2. American Public Health Association. What is public health? https://www.apha.org/what-is-public-
health. Accessed November 25, 2014.
3. Public Health Association of Australia. Public health. http://www.phaa.net.au/aboutUs.php. Accessed
November 25, 2014.
4. Asia-Pacific Academic Consortium for Public Health. Vision and mission. http://www.apacph.org/wp/
about/vision-and-mission/. Accessed November 25, 2014.
5. Patrick WK, Cadman EC. Changing emphases in public health and medical education in health care
reform. Asia-Pac J Public Health. 2002;14:35-39.