Which activity is part of the Assessment core function?

• A. Dissemination of information on health to the community
• B. Active infectious disease epidemiology programs
• C. Collection and analysis of health data
• D. Access to public health laboratory capable of rapid screening testing

Answer: (C)

Assessment is about understanding the community’s health by gathering and examining data. The best example is collection and analysis of health data because it directly creates the evidence public health uses to identify problems, track trends, and set priorities. Data come from sources like surveillance systems, surveys, vital records, and program indicators, and analyzing them turns that information into actionable knowledge about where attention is needed. While sharing information with the public and ensuring lab capacity are important components of public health work, those activities support the effort rather than defining the step of assessing health status through data collection and analysis.