Legal & Ethical Issues in Health Care

  Write a six-page research paper that incorporates the terms and concepts from the course on the topic of Public Health, and is supported by research beyond the assigned reading. Please provide a brief history of Public Health over time. Provide insight to how Health Care Systems interact with Public Health initiatives and public policy. Identify current events in the areas of Public Health, and how current events (such as: recent elections, legislation, public policy, or the economy) may impact Public Health initiatives. Review the concept of evidence-based public health strategies (and provide examples). Identify cultural and religious impacts on public health initiatives. Please be sure to investigate various segments of public health such as: • Community wellness initiatives. • Environmental risks. • Public health education. • The economics of public health initiatives. • Governmental agencies such as the FDA, and their impact on public health, healthy food, and pharmaceutical approval. • Demonstrate your understanding of the regulation and enforcement of healthcare law & policy through local, state and federal agencies, there responsibilities; and how that affects the application of policies and standards-of-care at the provider level.  
To this end, government agencies like the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have been established in order to regulate food safety standards as well as pharmaceuticals imported into the United States; while local governmental groups such as county-level boards of health can help regulate environmental risks within their jurisdictions like pollution or water quality (Centers for Disease Control & Prevention [CDC], 2017a). Furthermore, public policy initiatives often come into play when it comes to Public Health issues--not only because they dictate how funds should be allocated towards various programs but also due to their ability to influence behaviors related to healthcare access such as mandating insurance coverage or providing financial incentives for healthy living practices like smoking cessation or good nutrition (Wilson et al., 2012). Additionally, evidence-based strategies are key components of many public health initiatives; whereby data is gathered from research conducted on either individuals or populations over time in order to better understand underlying trends that could affect future decision making processes related to prevention activities (Frenk et al., 2010). These strategies may include monitoring air pollution levels city-wide overtime in order identify links between air quality and potential respiratory illnesses among urban populations or conducting large scale surveys on dietary habits among adults nationwide so researchers can track nutritional deficiencies across demographics—providing valuable insight into how best address these problems through changes made at either a national level via legislative action or through local community wellness initiatives focusing on education about healthier eating choices . Finally culture plays an important role when it comes shaping behavior around public health matters since religious beliefs often dictate how medical information is understood by members of different faiths—whether that involves being cautious about certain vaccines due misconceptions about what they contain ,or even outright refusing certain treatments because of specific moral codes prohibiting them altogether . As such ,it’s important for healthcare providers & administrators alike pay attention cultural sensitivities while formulating policies pertaining any topic related public health so all affected persons feel respected taken seriously account when trying make sure everyone receives proper care regardless background . Indeed ,the integration culturally competent approaches addressing pertinent issues regarding wellbeing individuals families serves major objective today ’s healthcare industry given its importance providing global solutions contemporary challenges society faces

Sample Solution

Public health, which can be defined as the science and art of promoting health and preventing disease for a population through organized efforts and informed decisions (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, n.d.), has a long history that stretches back centuries. In ancient times, communities worked together to find ways to control communicable diseases such as smallpox and cholera by quarantining those infected with these illnesses or isolating them from the general population where possible. With modern advances in healthcare technology came an increased ability to diagnose, treat, and prevent infectious diseases on both an individual level as well as at a population level—allowing public health specialists to become more involved in prevention activities than ever before (Gostin & Hodge, 2009).