What is an example of environmental health in public health?

Ensuring a clean water supply is a prime example of environmental health in public health because it directly addresses the critical relationship between the environment and human health. Access to safe and clean drinking water is essential for preventing waterborne diseases, promoting hygiene, and supporting overall health within communities.

Environmental health focuses on the factors in our environment that can affect health, such as air quality, water quality, and exposure to hazardous substances. Clean water is foundational to disease prevention and health promotion, making it a key component of public health initiatives aimed at improving population health outcomes. By investing in clean water infrastructure and ensuring it is accessible to all, public health officials can significantly reduce the incidence of diseases associated with contaminated water, thereby enhancing community health.

Other choices relate to different facets of healthcare that, while important, do not directly pertain to environmental health. Identifying new pharmaceutical treatments and performing surgical procedures fall under clinical health care, while diagnosing infectious diseases is focused on recognizing health conditions rather than addressing environmental factors that influence health.