Health is viewed as a resource for everyday living and in turn is influenced by the everyday environment.  Studies have repeatedly shown that broad determinants of health (such as level of income, social status, education, employment opportunities, workplace environment, physical environment, and family/friend supports) have as much or more to do with influencing health than does the presence of health care practitioners and facilities.  Health care is important, but availability of medical care is only one piece of community health.

Public Health is concerned with the health and well-being of the whole community, rather than the treatment of illness and disability, and focuses on four areas:

•  Preventing conditions that may put health at risk (protection);
•  Early detection and prevention of health problems (prevention);
•  Changing people’s and society’s attitudes and practices regarding behaviours and societal choices (promotion);
•  Evaluating the health of populations including tracking and forecasting health events (assessment and surveillance).

Public Health delivers its programs and services using a population health approach.  This means that programs are targeted to either the public as a whole (e.g., physical activity, dangers of second-hand smoke) or to specific sub-groups of the population such as expectant mothers (prenatal health), high school students (drinking and driving), or women (breast cancer screening).

Public Health practitioners, through advocacy, aim to influence politicians and policy writers, at all levels, to consider the health implications of proposed policies. 

The Health Unit develops its programs and services within the context of the community as a whole.  It creates and delivers programs in partnership with other sectors, agencies and volunteer community groups or coalitions.  It provides leadership in identifying issues and developing services, integrating them with other services in the community and advocating for those which fall outside its mandate.

The Northwestern Health Unit fosters the creation of supportive environments for health including active participation by citizens in decisions which affect their own health.

Through its knowledge of community health and community participation, and with the use of ongoing planning, program evaluation, priority setting and needs assessment, the Northwestern Health Unit ensures that programs are adapted to effectively address local needs.