Definition
Population health is a general approach to assessing and managing health at the level of the whole population. Reduction of health-care inequities, prevention of illness, and contextual improvement are all central objectives of the population health approach.
Description
Population health is an approach that aims to improve the health of entire population with an emphasis on understanding and decreasing health inequities among groups of people within the population (Hertzman, Frank, & Evans, 1994). This approach deviates from a traditional biomedical approach that focuses treatment at an individual level and instead targets group-level phenomena through the implementation of broad-based and widely diffusible health interventions (Jeffery, 1989; Rose, 1985). Rather than focusing on treating illnesses after they emerge, population health interventions are characterized by a strong emphasis on primary prevention, or preventing illness before it develops. As such, modifiable...
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References and Readings
Evans, R. G., Barer, M. L., & Marmor, T. R. (Eds.). (1994). Why are some people healthy and others are not? The determinants of health of populations. Hawthorne: Aldine De Gruyter.
Evans, R. G., & Stoddart, G. L. (1990). Producing health, consuming health care. Social Science & Medicine, 31(12), 1347–1363.
Frankish, C. J., Green, L. W., Ratner, P. A., Chomik, T., & Larsen C. (1996). Health impact assessment as a tool for population health promotion and public policy. A Report Submitted to the Health Promotion Division of Health Canada. Institute of Health Promotion Research, University of British Columbia.
Glouberman, S., & Miller, J. (2003). Evolution of the determinants of health, health policy, and health information systems in Canada. American Journal of Public Health, 93(3), 388–392.
Hawe, P. (2007). What is population health? Retrieved from http://www.ucalgary.ca/PHIRC/pdf/Hawe_2007-PopHealth.pdf
Health, S. (1999). A population health framework for Saskatchewan regional health authorities. Regina: Saskatchewan Health.
Hertzman, C., Frank, J., & Evans, R. G. (1994). Heterogeneities in health status and the determinants of population health. In R. G. Evans, M. L. Barer, & T. R. Marmor (Eds.), Why are some people healthy and others not? (pp. 67–92). New York: Walter de Gruyter.
Jeffery, R. W. (1989). Risk behaviors and health: Contrasting individual and population perspectives. American Psychologist, 44(9), 1194–1202.
Kindig, D., & Stoddart, G. (2003). What is population health? American Journal of Public Health, 93(3), 380–383.
Link, B. G., & Phelan, J. (1995). Social conditions as fundamental causes of disease. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 35, 80–94.
Lynch, J. W., Smith, G. D., Kaplan, G. A., & House, J. S. (2000). Income inequality and mortality: Importance to health of individual income, psychosocial environment, or material conditions. British Medical Journal, 320(7243), 1200–1204.
Marmot, M. G. (2003). Understanding social inequalities in health. Perspectives in Biology and Medicine, 46(3), S9–S23.
Public Health Agency of Canada (1996). Towards a common understanding: Clarifying the core concepts of population health approach. Discussion paper. Cat. No. H39-391/1996E ISBN 0-662-25122-9. Retrieved from: http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/ph-sp/docs/common-commune/index-eng.php
Rose, G. (1985). Sick individuals and sick populations. International Journal of Epidemiology, 14(1), 32–38.
Wanless, D. (2003). Securing good health for the whole population: Population health trends. London: HM Treasury.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2013 Springer Science+Business Media, New York
About this entry
Cite this entry
Zehr, C., Hall, P.A. (2013). Population Health. In: Gellman, M.D., Turner, J.R. (eds) Encyclopedia of Behavioral Medicine. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-1005-9_1169
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-1005-9_1169
Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY
Print ISBN: 978-1-4419-1004-2
Online ISBN: 978-1-4419-1005-9
eBook Packages: MedicineReference Module Medicine