What is Public Health?

Public Health in Richland County

Public Health covers a variety of activities designed to prevent the spread of disease and promote optimal health. It has been defined as "the art and science of maintaining, protecting and prolonging the health of the people through organized community effort".

Our activities primarily concentrate on prevention and education services to promote a healthy community. Most public health activities within a community are initiated by the local health department, with the approval of the board of health within its jurisdiction, which is the local health district.

We are now available on Facebook and Twitter by clicking on the logos at the bottom of this page. You can also select the RSS feed if you have a "Reader" account. In addition, we also have a mobile site for your smartphone. Find us on Facebook at Richland Health Department and on Twitter @RichlandHealth1.