Which is one of the 10 Essential Public Health Services?

• A. Diagnose and investigate health problems and health hazards in the community.
• B. Inform, educate, and empower people about health issues.
• C. Monitor health status to identify community health problems.
• D. Mobilize community partnerships to identify and solve health problems.

Answer: (C)

Monitoring health status to identify community health problems is a foundational public health activity that centers on gathering, analyzing, and using data about the health of a population. By continuously collecting information—such as disease rates, risk factors, health behaviors, access to care, and environmental conditions—public health professionals can spot emerging problems, track trends over time, and uncover disparities among different groups. This data-driven picture then guides where to focus resources, what interventions to test, and how to measure progress.

This option aligns directly with one of the ten essential public health services because its core function is to keep a finger on the pulse of the community’s health. The other listed activities describe equally important services—diagnosing and investigating health problems, informing and empowering people, and mobilizing community partnerships—but monitoring health status is the step that provides the information base for all the rest.