illinois department of public health

illinois department of public health

Importance of Public Health in Illinois

1. Overview of the Illinois Department of Public Health

The mission of IDPH is to protect the health and wellness of the people of Illinois through the prevention, health promotion, regulation, and control of disease and injuries. This is achieved in many different ways. Through their Center for Health Data and Statistics, IDPH works with the public and private sectors to prevent disease and injury by providing information for action. This Center monitors status and trends in health issues to know whether their methods are effective and to detect potential health issues before they become a problem. The Center also evaluates the outcomes of public health activities and uses this data to promote policy, develop recommendations, and influence legislation.

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is one of the more essential agencies in Illinois. The work of public health takes place in the many different areas of our lives that impact our health. Public health touches our lives every day in simple, routine ways we take for granted, such as the water that comes out of your faucet, the clean, safe food that you eat, and the laws that protect you in many different ways. Public health is defined as the protection and promotion of health in preventing disease and disability in populations.

2. Key Public Health Issues in Illinois

In response to the rising rates of obesity, particularly in children, the Illinois Prevention and Wellness Initiative has dedicated much of the $57 million it received from the Master Tobacco Settlement to fighting obesity. This is a significant investment in the health of the state that has the potential to greatly impact the health of the next generation. By using a life-course approach, interventions will target both children and adults to prevent further weight increases in current generations while ensuring healthy lifestyles for future generations.

Obesity is a significant public health issue in Illinois, particularly in children. Especially among Latino and African American populations, Illinois has seen one of the sharpest increases in childhood obesity rates. High rates of obesity in Illinois are linked to serious health problems that affect quality of life and increase healthcare costs. Obesity increases the risk of developing a variety of chronic health conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and asthma. It is also a risk factor for mental health problems such as depression and anxiety.

While Illinois has many recognized health strengths, there are several key public health issues common to many of its residents that the state continues to address. These include disparities in health status and access to health services based on race/ethnicity and income; shortages of mental health providers; childhood lead poisoning; and obesity. Importantly, Illinois is using Healthy People 2010 as a framework upon which to build state and local level health promotion and chronic disease prevention activities. This is viewed as a significant stride forward that will go a long way to improving the health of the state’s citizens. Data is being collected at the local level to assess needs and assets, and to develop policy and infrastructure support that promote healthier choices.

3. Initiatives and Programs by the Illinois Department of Public Health

Also, the department has initiated many educational programs and health awareness camps which aim to build public awareness about the various health risks stemming from different lifestyles and provide the public with information to lead a healthier life. Periodic health seminars are organized and information is widely disseminated directly to the public, through media or the internet. All information accumulated and published by the Department is used as a basis for advocacy and to initiate the formulation of public policies for a healthier Illinois. Through this, the Department for Public Health continues to lay a sound foundation for the future health of Illinoisans.

The Center for Minority Health Services is the department’s take on eliminating the gap in health status between the minority and non-minority population. It recognizes that due to socio-economic or cultural reasons, the minority children are deprived of proper health facilities. The Department has initiated the Reduce Breast and Cervical Cancer Mortality Program to increase the number of minority and low-income women receiving early detection services for breast and cervical cancer. Similarly, the Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Program targets the African-American population to identify and eliminate the high prevalence of heart diseases and strokes as compared to the white Illinois population.

The Illinois Department of Public Health is a great proponent of promoting and protecting the health of its constituents. It has initiated various health programs and set up a system that is designed to ensure the safety and health of its citizens. These initiatives and programs are diverse and are designed to identify and solve the prevailing health problems in the state.

4. Collaborations and Partnerships for Public Health Improvement

There are a wealth of diverse and dynamic partnerships contributing to the health of the public in Illinois. The state has been effective in securing federal funding for programs such as WIC (Women, Infants and Children) and Healthy Start. Illinois was one of the first states to implement Healthy Start and it is actively involved in the reduction of infant mortality, reducing the rate by 20% in its first five years. The Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Service Block Grant and the CDC also contribute to funding these services. There are over 100 local health departments in Illinois and in 1995, the Illinois Public Health Act mandated certified local health departments. This act coupled with the White paper, led the IDPH to initiate foundational programs to improve service provision. Illinois has comprehensive public health laboratories with state-of-the-art technology in Chicago, providing services to the local community and to testing and research for the greater public health network in the U.S. and the world. Twenty-two local health departments have been accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board and recently the IDPH began the process to seek accreditation by 2022. These departments also participate in Medical Reserve Corps, a community-based, civilian, volunteer program that helps build the public health infrastructure and response capabilities of communities locally, regionally, and nationally. The Illinois Alliance to Prevent Obesity (IAPO) is a coalition of public, private, and non-profit organizations working to reduce the burden of obesity in Illinois. IAPO is credited with the Illinois legislation to require daily physical activity for Illinois elementary schools. As a member of the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, IAPO and its partners are addressing the issue of childhood obesity. Illinois has an extensive educational network that contributes to public health. There are six accredited Schools of Public Health with four additional public health programs in Illinois. The state also boasts eight Academic Health Centers and Hospitals. “Public Health is an integral part of their mission in caring for the people of Illinois.” Any improvement to public health services in Illinois will be driven and sustained by a competent public health workforce, and Illinois has a robust and diverse field of public health professionals. The Illinois Public Health Workforce Enumeration Study, released in 2005, is a comprehensive assessment of the size and composition of the public health workforce in the state, which did much to focus attention on the public health workforce.

5. Future Challenges and Opportunities in Public Health

The Chronic Disease Prevention Act and Task Force were passed to identify, prevent, and decrease the prevalence of chronic diseases in the state. Although chronic diseases are a leading cause of disability and death in Illinois, there has not been a significant amount of money or resources devoted to decreasing their prevalence. The Chronic Disease Prevention Act and Task Force is a step in the right direction for improving the health of Illinoisans; however, it will be a huge challenge to identify and prevent chronic diseases with limited resources, no data, and evaluation measures.

Current public health legislation states that the Department of Public Health in Illinois is responsible for defining the influence of social and economic factors and acknowledging and addressing the limitations of health status and healthcare systems, which are extremely important future challenges in public health. Education and awareness of different health issues also fall under the state’s responsibility. Occupational safety issues and public health preparedness and response were also noted as important tasks for the state. These pieces of legislation indicate that public health will continue to be a very important issue in the state of Illinois. Failure of the economy could mean less state investment in public health. Recent reductions in public health spending indicate a lack of importance of public health in negative economic situations. Less funding would mean a reduction in public health services and an increase in health problems. Increased health problems would defeat the purpose of the state saving money in the first place. This could create a recurring cycle of detrimental behavior.