Is Public Health a Social Science or Medical Field?

Is public health part of the medical or social science field? Why does it matter? Although classification may seem entirely academic in nature, it has serious implications when it comes to matters of funding, curriculum development and career pathways for working professionals.

Read on to learn more about how the field of public health draws from medical and social sciences.

Is Public Health a Social Science?

To determine whether public health is a social science, one must take a deep look at the fundamental nature of the field itself. Public health demonstrates characteristics of both social and medical science. That makes it an inherently interdisciplinary subject.¹ Public health social science approaches focus on understanding how social, economic and environmental factors influence population health outcomes both separately and in concert with one another.

Social science and public health intersect through the application of different disciplinary methods to understand health phenomena.² To understand health outcomes at the population level—that is, patterns across entire communities or demographics rather than individual cases—those working in the field of public health rely on knowledge of the following fields:²

• Sociology examines how social structures affect health behaviors at the population level
• Psychology helps explain individual and group behaviors related to health decisions
• Anthropology can offer insight into cultural factors influencing health practices
• Economic analysis can help us understand issues pertaining to healthcare access

Medical science tends to focus on individual diagnosis and treatment. Public health sciences operate at the population level with a keen concentration on prevention and strategies for keeping people healthy.

These strategies may include vaccination drives, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) successful campaigns to wipe out polio among children.³ Other strategies, such as fluoridating water supplies and enhanced screenings for common diseases such as breast cancer, have also led to a diminishment of health problems like cavities and breast cancer.^4,5

Social Science and Public Health Connections

Social science and public health can work together to address complex health challenges present at the population level. The Health Belief Model (HBM) is a widely used framework that illustrates this connection.⁶ It explains how people weigh their perceived susceptibility to a disease, the severity of that illness, the benefits of preventive action and the barriers that may discourage them from improving their health.

Social scientists can translate HBM insights into public health campaigns. One example involves highlighting the severity of breast cancer and the benefits of regular mammograms for diverse populations.⁷ They may explain insurance coverage and help coordinate mobile screening units. At these units, medical workers perform mammograms and guide patients through next steps, such as follow-up appointments or treatment referrals.

Not every campaign runs this smoothly. During the HIV/AIDS epidemic, for example, public health workers promoted a partner-reduction strategy to lower transmission rates. Social scientists have since noted that this approach stigmatizes individuals with multiple sexual partners.⁸ That stigma can reduce trust and might stop people from seeking care. Social scientists can help craft public health messaging that acknowledges social realities and prevents stigma.

Social determinants of health represent a prime example of how public health social science can effectively address real-world problems. Adapting the definition provided by the World Health Organization, the CDC has identified social determinants as “the nonmedical factors that influence health outcomes. They are the conditions in which people are born, grow, work, live, worship, and age. These conditions include a wide set of forces and systems that shape daily life such as economic policies and systems, development agendas, social norms, social policies, and political systems.”⁹ Research has shown that these factors often matter more than genetic predispositions and healthcare access when it comes to health outcomes.¹⁰

The CDC has published a number of case studies illustrating how social science methods can be deployed to fix public health problems. Getting large groups of people to stop smoking, for instance, requires a deep understanding of the social and economic factors that cause people to smoke in the first place.

Public Health as a Social Science Career Path

Career paths in public health that take a social science approach offer significant opportunities to make a difference in policy decisions. For example, health policy analysts use social science research methods to evaluate healthcare policies and recommend improvements that address health needs at the population level.¹¹

Epidemiologists also increasingly rely on social science methods. These professionals analyze disease patterns and develop prevention strategies using methodologies designed and refined by social scientists across multiple disciplines. Social epidemiologists examine how social determinants affect health outcomes within populations and use these methods to uncover the social factors that contribute to health disparities between population groups.

Health communication specialists represent another career path influenced by public health social science. They research and create ways to share health information with the public more effectively. For example, the CDC offers a "Health Communication Playbook" that helps public health workers communicate complex ideas to the general population.¹² It used suggestions from that playbook in its Tips From Former Smokers^® campaign. The CDC estimates that from 2012 to 2018 one million people successfully quit smoking thanks to the campaign.¹³

Community health workers (CHWs) act as trusted liaisons between health systems and the communities they serve. They provide culturally appropriate education and connect people to services. CHWs are particularly effective and cost-efficient in chronic disease management programs, as they help patients manage conditions such as diabetes and hypertension. Their impact is especially strong when working with low-income and underserved communities.¹⁴

Program evaluators use methods, such as interviews and data analysis, to assess the effectiveness of community-based interventions. The CDC Program Evaluation Framework suggests six steps to help program evaluators use insights to advance health equity.¹⁵

Why Public Health Needs Both Disciplines

Public health works best when it integrates medical science with social science. Medical methods help us understand how diseases develop and spread, but they don’t explain why some treatments work in some communities and not in others. Social science shows how factors like poverty, education, culture and policy affect health, but it needs medical insights to create and test effective treatments. Interdisciplinary methods give public health professionals the tools needed to understand the biological mechanisms of disease and the social factors that influence health outcomes.¹⁶

For example, poverty-related food deserts can lead to poor nutrition, increasing rates of Type 2 diabetes and obesity in those areas.¹⁷ Biostatistical tools uncover patterns related to intergenerational poverty and systemic racism, while social science research shows the everyday challenges families face in finding healthy food.

As another example, consider tuberculosis control. Medical science offers vaccines and treatments, but long-term success depends on public outreach, education and trust-building to ensure vaccines reach the right people and contain outbreaks.¹⁸

Develop Interdisciplinary Public Health Expertise at Kent State

Kent State University's online Master of Public Health (MPH) program—ranked number 10 nationwide by Fortune¹⁹—prepares you to integrate social science and medical approaches in your public health career.

As a Kent State online MPH student, you will:

• Build a strong foundation in biostatistics, epidemiology and social and behavioral sciences
• Learn how to apply quantitative and ethnographic research methods to design effective public health campaigns and interventions
• Observe and participate in public health activities at a public health agency, hospital or other approved organization
• Benefit from faculty who bring experience from both academic research and public health practice

You’ll graduate ready to step into leadership roles in health departments, nonprofit organizations, healthcare systems and research institutions. Many graduates use their MPH to advance in their current careers and pursue management positions.

Get in touch with an admissions outreach advisor today to find out how Kent State’s online MPH program can help you achieve your goals in public health.