Setting Priorities in Public Health Dermatology

Abstract

This chapter introduces some concepts originally developed in the field of public health, to provide readers with criteria to set priorities in public health dermatology. To this end, we first review the classic definitions of not only public health, but also epidemiology, which all encompass notions of frequency, distribution, and causes of health issues within and between populations. This is followed by a discussion on how a public health problem is conceptualized, with a strong emphasis on “magnitude,” “transcendence,” and “vulnerability” as the core concepts on which to base health policies, health interventions, and delivery of care. The text then explains the main differences between the population-based and individual approaches to health promotion and disease prevention, subsequently bringing to light some examples of dermatologic conditions that may be considered public health problems. Readers, especially dermatologistis and other health professionals, are encouraged to use the aforementioned concepts if high-quality care is to be offered to all populations.