Issues in Public Health: Challenges for the 21st Century

“You won’t find a better textbook on public health than this. Comprehensive, authoritative, up-to-date, informative, and very readable. A must for all public health reading lists.”

Emeritus Professor Mike Daube, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia

“In Issues in Public Health you will find detailed, evidence-based, contemporary discussion about the wide range of public health challenges facing public health professionals around the world.”

Mary Lyons, Senior Lecturer in Public Health, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, UK

“An essential resource for anyone looking to understand the foundations of public health and its ongoing evolution.”

Dr Sandro Galea, Dean and Robert A. Knox Professor at Boston University School of Public Health, USA




What is public health?

By looking at the foundations of public health, its historical and contemporary evolution, and the themes that underpin public health, this book provides detailed answers to this important question and encourages you to develop your critical thinking skills. 

Written by experts in the field, the book discusses the core issues of modern public health, such as tackling vested interests head on, empowering people so they can make healthy decisions, and acknowledging the political nature of the issues. This new edition has a section on mental health, as well as five new chapters reflecting key contemporary and global issues:

• Commercial determinants of health

• Planetary health

• Conflict and health

• Ethics surrounding human rights and public health

• Information and public health

The third edition of Issues in Public Health provides a thorough overview of the key concepts, practices, and principles of public health. Timely and relevant examples have been used to illustrate the challenges and opportunities global events such as the COVID-19 pandemic have brought to the surface.




Understanding Public Health is an innovative series published by Open University Press in collaboration with the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, where it is used as a key learning resource for postgraduate programmes. It provides self-directed learning covering the major issues in public health affecting low, middle and high income countries. 

Series Editors: Rosalind Plowman and Nicki Thorogood.