The history of public health

Air pollution and climate change · Alcohol and drugs · Commercial determinants of health · Covid-19 · Explainers · Health protection · Housing · Obesity, nutrition and physical activity · Planning · Sexual and reproductive health · Tobacco | 31 August 2023

The history of...

Read our collection of explainers, detailing the history of some of the biggest topics in public health and look ahead to what the future of public health could look like.

Air quality

Air pollution has been an issue in the UK since the 13th century and is an increasingly significant threat to public health.

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Alcohol

Alcohol has long been a mainstay of the population’s diet but as its impact on health has become more recognised, so too has the need for policy.

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Health protection

Lessons learnt from how we have responded to threats from infectious disease and environmental hazards in the past can help protect us in the future.

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Healthy weight

Being a healthy weight is a key determinant of health and since the mid 1900s policy and campaigns have been used to support our dietary health.

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Immunisations and vaccines

Vaccines date back to the 15th century and are vital in the prevention and control of disease, preventing millions of deaths each year.

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Planning and housing

Over time planning policy has led to improvements in sanitation and reduction of disease, but there is still further to go.

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Sexual health

Sexual health services have taken centuries to develop into the inclusive and vital public health provision that they are in the present day.

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Tobacco

Tobacco is the single biggest cause of preventable illness and death in the UK yet it wasn’t until the early 2000s that legislation began to change.

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Water sanitation

Despite the now universal acceptance that effective sewage treatment is crucial for good public health, there was an initial reluctance.

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Women in public health

Although women are highly represented in the public health workforce today, it hasn't always been the case.

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A timeline of public health

Find out what happened when, with our timeline of public health.

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The future of public health

Read about how we would like to see the public health landscape develop in the future.

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