Public health deals with the health of communities and the well-being of the nation. Public health professionals evaluate the health needs of the public by researching and tracking heath disparities and health needs and implementing needed health programs. In short, public health includes community health. Recent laws such as the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) have expanded this need for public health workers at all levels. Public health hinges on many disciplines and touches on almost every aspect of life; a degree in public health will afford various career opportunities. Columbia Southern University offers a general concentration and a concentration in community health education in the master’s of public health degree program.
Community health is the facet of public health concerned with the study and improvement of the health characteristics of different communities. Community health is also steeped in health and social policies as community health workers seek to implement public health policies and programs that benefit the community. The main goal of community health is to help individuals within a community adopt better lifestyle behaviors through education, services and policies. Community health workers also collect community data and report that data back to other public health professionals.
Community health professionals can work in various environments such as hospitals, nonprofit organizations, government organizations, doctors’ offices, private businesses, and colleges and universities. Sample job titles include: counselor, assistant director or director of nutrition and wellness programs, executive program officer, community health outreach worker, community health program coordinator, community health program representative (ONet, 2013). According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2015), opportunities in community health are expected to grow more than 20% throughout the year 2020.
For more information on the public health degree program from CSU, click here.
BLS. (2015). Community Health Workers. Retrieved on July 11, 2015 from: http://www.bls.gov/soc/2010/soc211094.htm
ONet, (2013). Summary Report for: 21-1094.00 – Community Health Workers. Retrieved on July 11, 2015 from: http://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/21-1094.00
