kansanterveystiede

Kansanterveystiede, or public health science, is an interdisciplinary field that studies health and disease in populations, focusing on determinants, prevention, promotion, and health equity. It combines methods from epidemiology, biostatistics, and social sciences with health policy, management, and environmental and occupational health. Researchers and professionals in kansanterveystiede seek to understand how factors such as behavior, socioeconomics, living conditions, and health systems influence population health, and to design interventions that improve health outcomes and reduce health inequalities. Common research areas include epidemiology and surveillance, health promotion and education, environmental and occupational health, health services research, biostatistics, and health policy analysis.

Education and career: In Finland, kansanterveystiede is taught at universities and universities of applied sciences. Degree programs lead to bachelor’s and master’s degrees in public health, health science, or related fields. Graduates work in central and local government agencies, national institutes of health, hospitals, research institutions, NGOs, and international organizations. Typical roles include epidemiologist, health analyst, program manager, outbreak investigator, and researcher.

Relation to medicine and policy: Kansanterveystiede complements clinical disciplines by prioritizing prevention and population-level interventions. It relies on population data, health registries, surveys, and qualitative studies, with ethical standards and data protection central to practice. In Finland, public health work is often linked to the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) and municipal health authorities, but it also involves universities and international partners. Internationally, kansanterveystiede aligns with global public health frameworks and WHO standards.