Finding solutions to public health problems through the development, analysis, implementation, and evaluation of health and health policies is the focus of the PhD program in Health and Public Policy. Public policy is viewed in its broad sense and includes social issues, law, politics, environmental matters and the role of scientific discovery. Students in this program examine some of the most challenging public health issues of the day and learn how to translate their understanding of the risk factors underlying those challenges into policy solutions. Students also engage in policy evaluations to assess the impact of public policies on disease and injury. Faculty employ an interdisciplinary approach to their teaching and research which is reflected by their backgrounds in medicine, epidemiology, public health practice, social and political science, law, environmental health, and the risk sciences. Within this program, students may focus their studies in one of the following areas: social policy and health, injury prevention and control, the practice of prevention, or environmental and occupational health policy.Through coursework and research, students gain an understanding of the relationship between health policy and health. Within the area of social policy and health, the impact of social policies on population health and well-being is emphasized, as is the relationship between health and social care. For those who focus on injury control, preventing injuries, reducing disability and providing emergency services and rehabilitation are major areas of emphasis. The practice of prevention focus examines specific public health problems such as AIDs, tobacco, obesity, and violence and develops strategies for addressing these problems through traditional and innovative policies. Students interested in environmental and occupational health policy examine those factors in the human environment that impact population health, the methods for assessing risks, and the development and evaluation of policies to improve environmental public health. | 
