Health science

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Biomedical science" redirects here. For other uses, see Branches of medicine.

Health science or biomedical science is the applied science dealing with health.

There are two approaches to health science: the study and research of the food that we eat; and the
study and research of health-related issues to understand how humans and otheranimals function, and
the application of that knowledge to improve health and to prevent and cure diseases.

Health research builds upon the natural sciences of biology, chemistry, and physics as well as a variety of
multidisciplinary fields. Some of the other primarily research-oriented fields that make contributions to
health science are biochemistry, epidemiology, genetics, and pharmacology (for a more comprehensive
list, see List of health science disciplines).

A myriad of applied health specializations and professions also endeavor to better understand health, but
in addition they try to directly improve the health of individuals and of people in general, as well as of
other animals (see veterinary medicine). Some of these are: alternative medicine, biomedical
engineering, biotechnology, clinical laboratory science, medicine,nursing, nutrition, pharmacy, public
health, psychology, and physical therapy. The provision of services to improve people's health is referred
to as health care.

The health sciences industry, a multi-billion dollar business sector, is a cross-section of the life sciences
and the health care and medical diagnostics industries.

Acquisition of health-related knowledge

Main articles: Life science and Biomedical research

Medical research is basic and applied research conducted to improve the evaluation of new treatments
for both safety and efficacy in what are termed clinical trials, or to develop new treatments (referred to
as preclinical research) or to better scale up health care interventions and improve health systems (e.g.
health systems research and evidence based health care).

The increased longevity of humans over the past century is due in large part to medical research. Among
the major advancements in medicine have been vaccines for measles and polio,insulin treatment
for diabetes, classes of antibiotics for treating a host of maladies, medication for high blood pressure,
improved treatments for AIDS, statins and other treatments foratherosclerosis, new surgical techniques
such as microsurgery, and increasingly successful treatments for cancer. New, beneficial tests and
treatments are expected as a result of thehuman genome project. Many challenges remain, however,
including the appearance of antibiotic resistance, the obesity epidemic, and notably, the paucity of
knowledge on how to better organize health care delivery.

[edit]Application of health-related knowledge (health care)

Main article: Health care

Health care is the prevention, treatment, and management of illness and the preservation of mental and
physical well being through the services offered by the medical, nursing, and allied health professions.
According to the World Health Organization, health care embraces all the goods and services designed to
promote health, including “preventive, curative and palliative interventions, whether directed to individuals
or to populations”.[1] The organized provision of such services may constitute a health care system. This
can include a specific governmental organization such as the National Health Service in the UK, or a
cooperation across the National Health Service and Social Services as in shared care.

There is a wide range of traditional areas of health care. The most common areas
are: medicine, nursing, midwifery, pharmacy, dentistry, clinical laboratory sciences (in vitro diagnostics),
and various forms of therapy to supplement the healing process and restore proper activity
(e.g. dietetics, recreational, physical, occupational, orthoptic care, speech, and respiratory).

Like health science in general, health care includes both the study and application of preventing and
curing human diseases and disorders. Medical doctors include physicians andsurgeons.

There are many different branches of medicine; the other health care professions also have specialties or
focus on specific populations or settings of care. Public health studies the effect of environmental factors
such as available health care resources on the health of the general population, often focusing on
particular populations, such as mothers and children. Dietitianseducate people about proper nutrition,
particularly specific dietary needs of populations such as people with diabetes, breastfeeding women, and
people with celiac disease. Other less common medical areas include first aid and triage.

Dental health has grown in importance in recent decades making dentistry a major field of health
sciences. Counselling, hospice care, home care, nutrition, medical social work, alternative
medicine, pharmacology, and toxicology are all considered part of health science.

Clinical laboratory sciences (in vitro diagnostics) is also a major field of health sciences.

Veterinary medicine is the health science dedicated exclusively to the care of animals. Veterinary
medicine is involved in preventing and curing animal diseases and disorders, inspecting animal-originated
food (such as milk and meat) and animal husbandry.

Contemporary themes
Because health science deal with human life, issues of medical ethics, an important area of ethics, arise
frequently. Medical ethics includes questions on topics such as a patient's right to privacy and his/her
right to be involved in treatment and decision-making. Euthanasia, abortion, human cloning, stem cell
research and genetic engineering are especially controversial issues directly related to health science.
Evidence based health care focuses on integrating research evidence with context and values to better
guide policies and practice. An example of initiatives that take this approach to improve public health
policy is the Evidence Informed Policy Network (EVIPNet) of the World Health Organization.

History of health science

Main articles: History of biology and History of medicine

The foundations for the Health Sciences fields are as old as the human race. Humans have always been
in need of solutions to address illness, injury, and various health related issues such as childbirth. With
modern technology and the backing of the pure sciences, the scientific accuracy of these fields has
greatly improved. Nevertheless, many cultures have used and continue to use various herbs and other
culturally specific solutions to help solve health problems that may or may not be backed by any scientific
support.