Author: Kailee Curtis

Local Health Department

Health Promotion, Prevention, and Education

The primary purpose of population-based health promotion and education is to prevent disease, illness, and injury. Preventing these problems before they happen can lead to reduced demands on the healthcare system; better health outcomes for individuals; and overall healthier, safer, and more engaged communities. All local health departments in Michigan carry out at least some health promotion and education activities, often in conjunction with community partners and coalitions. Addressed topics can include injury prevention, chronic disease, lead poisoning, and mental health, among countless others.

Key Positions
Health Educator
Data Analyst or Epidemiologist
Manager

Each local health department has a designated Public Information Officer, who assures timely and accurate information is provided to the public.

Meets Public Health Standards:

ü	Michigan Public Health Code
ü	Michigan Local Public Health Accreditation
ü	Public Health Accreditation Board

Services:
Health promotion, prevention, and education services vary widely by health department. Some health departments have robust departments that conduct intensive assessment and planning activities and collaborate intensively with other community organizations, whereas others focus efforts on the education of individuals. Some are heavily involved in environmental, policy, and systems change, while still others focus on personal interventions with individuals to prevent adverse health outcomes. The topics that health departments work cover a wide range and are often dependent on community wants, needs, and readiness. Funding is often a determining factor for the breadth of promotion, prevention, and education activities that health departments perform.
Goals:
Health promotion, prevention, and education activities are meant to:
Prevent adverse health outcomes.
Engage the community and partners in improving health.
Address health outcomes that need to be improved, often with evidence-based interventions.

Impact: Many local health departments serve as conveners of local coalitions that work to improve health. These local coalitions assure that partners work collaboratively on efforts, avoiding duplication and maximizing collective impact.

Created by the Barry-Eaton District Health Department for the Michigan Association of Local Public Health with funding from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. August 2018.
*39 of Michigan’s local health departments indicated that they offer health promotion and education (of 41 who participated in the survey). Participants might not have answered each question.