By Dr Than Lwin Tun
UNIVERSAL health coverage (UHC) means that all people have access to the full range of quality health services they need, when and where they need them, without financial hardship. It covers the full continuum of essential health services, from health promotion to prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and palliative care.
Public health is the science of protecting and improving the health of people and their communities. This work is achieved by promoting healthy lifestyles, researching disease and injury prevention, and detecting, preventing, and responding to infectious diseases. Overall, public health is concerned with protecting the health of entire populations. These populations can be as small as a local neighbourhood or as big as a whole country or region.
Public health education refers to the educational process that provides students with knowledge and skills related to various aspects of public health, including biology, environmental factors, communication, data management, epidemiology, health policy, and emergency management. It aims to prepare students for cross-disciplinary roles and to promote a better world by expanding their focus to account for health factors in their future careers.
Public health education plays a critical role in achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by promoting health literacy, preventative care, and fostering healthier behaviours within populations. The following are a few key points on how public health education contributes to UHC:
v Raising Awareness about Health Issues
Public health education helps raise awareness about common health conditions, preventive measures, and available healthcare services. When people are well-informed about health risks, such as the dangers of smoking, unhealthy diet, or lack of exercise, they are more likely to make healthy lifestyle choices, which can reduce the burden on healthcare systems.
Promoting Preventive Healthcare
By educating communities about preventive measures, such as vaccination, screening for diseases (e.g., cancer, diabetes), and safe hygiene practices, public health education helps in reducing the incidence of preventable diseases. This not only improves health outcomes but also helps reduce healthcare costs in the long term, aligning with UHC goals of providing equitable and affordable healthcare.
Empowering Communities
Public health education empowers individuals and communities to take responsibility for their health. When people understand their rights to healthcare and know how to navigate the healthcare system, they are better able to access services, adhere to medical treatments, and avoid delays in seeking care.
Addressing Health Inequalities
Public health education can address health disparities by targeting vulnerable populations, including those in rural areas, low-income groups, and marginalized communities. By providing information tailored to their needs, education can break down barriers to accessing healthcare and ensure that underserved populations are not left behind in achieving UHC.
Improving Health Behaviours
Health education encourages individuals to adopt healthier behaviors, such as quitting smoking, reducing alcohol consumption, engaging in physical activity, and managing stress. These behavioural changes contribute to a reduction in the prevalence of chronic diseases, which can strain healthcare systems and impede UHC efforts.
Supporting Mental Health Awareness
Mental health is a critical component of UHC, and public health education can reduce the stigma surrounding mental health issues. Educating the public about mental health can help people seek the necessary support, reducing the burden on emergency and acute care services while promoting mental well-being for all.
Promoting for Programme Changes
Educating the public can foster an environment where people promote necessary programme changes that support UHC, such as the expansion of healthcare coverage, improved health infrastructure, and equitable distribution of healthcare resources.
Improving Health Literacy
Health literacy is essential for individuals to make informed decisions about their health. Public health education improves people’s ability to understand medical information, which is necessary for following treatment plans, understanding prescription instructions, and making health decisions that are aligned with the resources available in their healthcare system.
In summary, public health education serves as a foundation for achieving UHC by promoting informed, health-conscious populations, reducing preventable health issues, and empowering individuals to take control of their health. It creates a more equitable healthcare system and also takes the opportunity to promote a healthy life.
References
- https://www.who.int/ heal th-topics/universal-health-coverage
- https://www.cdcfoundat ion.org/what-publ ic-health
- https://www.sciencedirect. com/topics/social-sciences/public-health-education
