Welcome to the Public Health Library Guide!
Use this guide to:
Access articles using health databases
Find library books related to public health
Retrieve important datasets and statistics
Cite your sources
Find additional resources to jumpstart your research
The UNLV School of Public Health is the first accredited School of Public Health in Nevada. Read more here.
What is Public Health?
Public health promotes and protects the health of people and the communities where they live, learn, work and play.
While a doctor treats people who are sick, those of us working in public health try to prevent people from getting sick or injured in the first place. We also promote wellness by encouraging healthy behaviors.
From conducting scientific research to educating about health, people in the field of public health work to assure the conditions in which people can be healthy. That can mean vaccinating children and adults to prevent the spread of disease. Or educating people about the risks of alcohol and tobacco. Public health sets safety standards to protect workers and develops school nutrition programs to ensure kids have access to healthy food.
Public health works to track disease outbreaks, prevent injuries and shed light on why some of us are more likely to suffer from poor health than others. The many facets of public health include speaking out for laws that promote smoke-free indoor air and seatbelts, spreading the word about ways to stay healthy and giving science-based solutions to problems.
Public health saves money, improves our quality of life, helps children thrive, and reduces human suffering.
American Public Health Association - Definition of Public Health
Here are some primary databases to start your research:
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