The New Public Health
0163-7525
Abstract
Health is a crossroad. It is where biological and social factors, the individual and the community, and social and economic policy all converge. addition to its intrinsic value, health is a means for personal and collective advance ment. It is, therefore, an indicator of the success achieved by a society and its institutions of government in promoting well-being, which is the ultimate meaning of development. As a field of knowledge and as a social practice, public health has historically been one of the vital forces that have led to reflection on and collective action for health and well-being. However, there is a widespread impression that this leading role has been weakening and that public health is today experiencing a severe identity crisis, as well as a crisis of organization and accomplishment. A recent report prepared by a special committee of the Institute of Medicine opens with the following statement: In recent years, there has been a growing sense that public health, as a profession, as a governmental activity, and as � commitment of society is neither clearly defined, adequately support)!«,/nor fully understood (8). Like the societies of which they are a part, public health institutions all over the world are experiencing new tensions that have exacerbated problems, but have also created challenges for innovation. For nearly 80 years, we have had schools devoted to the teaching of public health. Over time, our schools have developed a valuable tradition that has made it possible to build a broad institutional basis. At the same time, departments and programs with other names have arisen. These departments share a great deal of the vision and mission of public health. However, problems have been mounting. many