PUBLIC HEALTH AND COLLECTIVE HEALTH: CONCEPTS AND IMPACTS ON SOCIETY

Abstract

Introduction: Public health and collective health are fundamental pillars for the organization and well-being of any society. Public health can be understood as the set of policies and systematic actions aimed at promoting population health, preventing diseases, ensuring access to healthcare, and fostering healthier living conditions. Collective health, therefore, is a social science that seeks to understand health inequalities through a critical view of living conditions and the power relations that shape society. Objective: This article aims to analyze and reflect on the concepts of public health and collective health, addressing their differences and interactions. Methodology: This is a literature review focusing on publications from 2017 to 2025 in the PubMed, Google Scholar, and SciELO databases, using the following descriptors: “public health”, “collective health”, “health policies”, “health promotion”, “health equity”, and “comprehensive healthcare.” Results: Public health plays a central role in the prevention, early diagnosis, and adequate treatment of chronic diseases such as COPD, smoking, diabetes, and leprosy—conditions that pose major challenges for collective health. Conclusion: The integration between public health and collective health is essential to promote a more humanized and effective model of care, especially in the context of vulnerable populations. Preventive and educational health strategies are crucial to ensure that the population has access to appropriate care and to a fairer and more equitable health system.