The Public Health Textbook is an online resource which covers all the public health skills and competencies. It has been organised in relation to the Faculty of Public Health Part A membership examination syllabus. Although the textbook is particularly helpful for Paper I of the exam, the resource is also of benefit for anyone who is interested in expanding their public health knowledge. In addition to the textbook, you may find it useful to access the helpful tips and frameworks for passing Part A. Public Health practitioners interested in resources for Paper II may like to view the interactive learning modules on critical appraisal and data manipulation.

Please note that examples are frequently drawn from England as many of the authors work from the English PH system.

1. Research methods appropriate to public health practice, including epidemiology, statistical methods and other methods of enquiry including qualitative research methods.

• 1a Epidemiology
• 1b Statistical Methods
• 1c Health Care Evaluation and Health Needs Assessment
• ​1d Principles of Qualitative Methods

2. Disease causation and the diagnostic process in relation to public health; prevention and health promotion.

• 2a Epidemiological Paradigms
• 2b Epidemiology of Diseases of Public Health Significance
• 2c Diagnosis and Screening
• 2d Genetics
• 2e Health and Social Behaviour
• 2f Environment
• 2g Communicable Disease
• 2h Principles and Practice of Health Promotion
• 2i Disease Prevention, Models of Behaviour Change

3. Health Information

• 3a Populations
• 3b Sickness and Health
• 3c Applications

4. Medical Sociology, Social Policy, and Health Economics

• 4a Concepts of Health, Wellbeing and Illness and the Aetiology of Illness
• 4b Health Care
• 4c Equality, Equity and Policy
• 4d Health Economics

5. Organisation and Management of Health Care and Health Care Programmes from a Public Health Perspective

• 5a Understanding Individuals,Teams and their Development
• 5b Understanding Organisations, their Functions and Structure
• 5c Management and Change
• 5d Understanding the Theory and Process of Strategy Development
• 5e Health and Social Service Quality
• 5f Finance, Management Accounting and Relevant Theoretical Approaches - Mike Deacon, Martin Hensher

Further Resources

• Hints and Tips for Taking the Part A Exam
• Past Papers (available on the FPH website)