Understanding Health 4th Edition introduces students to all of the key health disciplines, examining public health, health promotion, social determinants of health and primary health care as a means of achieving greater fairness, social justice and health equity.

It provides an update of important new developments in determinants thinking and adds new material on how to take action on the social determinants of health from whatever your field of endeavour with an emphasis on the evidence for better health and equity. It takes a more practical approach and looks at strategies for improving health practice.

The structure of the book begins by discussing the over-arching principles of health and health promotion and continues on to explore how health status and the determinants of health are measured. The book then covers how health is shaped by the determinants of health, and finally, how to use that knowledge to improve health. The book equips the students to explore the theories and helps them to understand how to put them into practice. The extensive pedagogy highlights important theory, research and practice into the concepts covered within the text.

New to this edition

• Chapters have been revised and updated with current research and practice examples. NEW/heavily revised chapters: Global health *NEW* Population health *NEW* Epidemiology *NEW* Ecology and Health *NEW* Marginalised populations *NEW* Health promotion *Heavily revised* Determinants of Indigenous Health *Heavily revised* Social Marketing *Heavily revised* Concepts of Health and Primary Health Care chapter are two chapters
• Part 1 provides a comprehensive introduction to the health field, explaining the key health concepts: Determinants of health; Primary Health Care; Public Health; Population Health; Global Health and Health Promotion.
• Theory has been unpacked and concepts fully explained to ensure that this is truly an accessible text to those starting their education in health.
• Updated Theory to Practice boxes that look at the theory working in real-world examples. Includes case study examples to highlight practical implications for key groups of practitioners.
• Stronger focus on data and research with new Research in Practice Boxes presenting studies that use a variety of methods (includes qualitative and quantitative).
• Increased content on content on: Migrants, asylum seekers
• Enhanced navigation and signposting of topics through the addition of Key Learning Objectives and cross-referential margin links to ensure students can connect concepts throughout the text.