Personal Health Is Public Health: The Impact of Personal Decisions on the Health of the Community

Personal and public health go hand-in-hand in preserving everyone’s physical, emotional, and social well-being. Personal and public health intersect and significantly affect health outcomes. Personal health involves the steps you take to preserve your and your loved ones’ physical, emotional, spiritual, intellectual, and social well-being. Positive behaviors like brushing and flossing your teeth daily, managing stress, getting wellness check-ups, and avoiding smoking contribute to your overall health and wellness. Preserving individual health and safety requires attention to what is good for the general population. As a matter of importance for everyone, public health refers to the wellness of the population and the widespread efforts required to protect community members where they live, work, play, and grow older. Read more in NPHIC’s blog post here.