Historical Review of Modern Public Health Nursing / 農村醫學 地域保健

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to examine the modern history of public health(PH) and suggest a way forward for PH nursing(PHN). METHODS: This paper is a review article that derives results from literature review. RESULTS: In the period of beginning (up to 1944), PHN began as the PH Department was created in the Hygiene Bureau in 1908 and tasks about nurses were legislated. PHN was limited to infectious disease tasks and performed mostly by missionaries. In the period of foundation formation (1945 to 1961), the Republic of Korea was founded, and PH policies and tasks were defined with the establishment of the central government organization and the applicable laws. In the period of foundation establishment (1962 to 1979), the Regional PH Act was amended, and as a result, PH Centers(PHCs) spread across the country. In the period of foundation expansion (1980 to 1994), the PH referral system of PHCs, PH Units, and Primary Health Care Post was established. In the period of organization in each area (1995 to 2005), PH programs reflecting changes in disease structure and public needs for the quality of life. A regional health care plan was launched. In the period of funtion expansion (2006 to present day), Centers for support health living were established. CONCLUSIONS: In the future, PH nurses need to have a macroscopic perspective that views PH through the overall PH system, and to expand from the existing healthcare concept to the national and global healthcare one.