New Mexico Public Health Priorities

Public Health, noun, is “the art and science dealing with the protection and improvement of community health by organized community effort and including preventive medicine and sanitary and social science.” – Webster's Dictionary

The mission of public health is the fulfillment of society’s interest in assuring the conditions in which people can be healthy. The substance of public health is organized community efforts aimed at the prevention of disease and promotion of health. – The Future of Public Health, Institute of Medicine, 1988.

New Mexico has been struggling with numerous public health challenges. Here is a brief introduction of some unique local public health issues. We outlined the current prevalence of the issue, impact/importance, and prevention suggestions or efforts.

• Obesity
• Teenage Pregnancy
• Childhood Immunizations

Note: These narratives are adapted from New Mexico Comprehensive Strategic Health Plan Update, published by New Mexico Department of Health, July 2005.