Public health in the next century

The over-reliance of our health care system on treatment of disease rather than prevention of disease has brought it to the point of near financial collapse. Although improvements in longevity and in key health status indicators have occurred, to some extent from advances in medical care, many of the gains in healthy living have come from basic population-based interventions known as public health. This article describes the role and function of public health, describes the public health system in Missouri, and recommends the reinventing of public health for the next century.