2003年以来，公共卫生（健康）成了中国备受关注的一个概念。从事公共卫生工作、开展公共卫生研究、预防和控制突发性公共卫生事件、构筑公共卫生体系、提供公共卫生服务，都离不开对公共卫生本质和内涵的理解。国际上对公共卫生的定义不少，有类似说法，也有不同见解。现罗列如下，以便参考。

• 美国2010健康促进规划：

         旨在保护、促进和维护人们健康的有组织的社会行动。

   An effort organized by society to protect, promote, and restore the people’s health.

• 新西兰卫生部：

         通过实施有组织的社会行动，促进健康，预防疾病，延长寿命的科学和艺术。

    The science and art of promoting health, preventing disease and prolonging life through organised efforts of society.
   

• 美国Connecticut卫生部：

         保护、促进和维护人们健康的有组织的社会行动之一。是通过集体的或社会的行动，以维护和促进全民健康为目标的科学、技能和观念。是一个以减少疾病、早死、容易引起疾病的不适和残疾的社会机构、学科和实践活动。

     One of the efforts organized by society to protect, promote, and restore the people’s health. The combination of sciences, skills, and beliefs directed to the maintenance and improvement of the health of all the people through collective or social actions. A social institution, a discipline, and a practice with the goal to reduce the amount of disease, premature death, and disease-produced discomfort and disability in the population.

• 美国弗罗里达州卫生部：

      预防疾病、延长寿命、促进身心健康和社区通过有组织的共同努力改善环境卫生的科学和艺术，包括社区传染病控制、个人卫生教育、为了疾病早诊断、早治疗而提供的医疗和护理服务，以促进每个社区居民健康的社会机制。

    "...the science and the art of preventing disease, prolonging life, and promoting physical health and mental health and efficiency through organized community efforts toward a sanitary environment; the control of community infections; the education of the individual in principles of personal hygiene; the organization of medical and nursing service for the early diagnosis and treatment of disease; and the development of the social machinery to ensure to every individual in the community a ...

• 未知：

     全社会的健康或身体的完好状态。

   The health or physical well-being of a whole community.

• 英国肯特教育机构：

    指全社会的完好状态。

   Refers to the well being of the whole community

• 某公众研究机构：

    一种由政府机构提供或资助的服务。

   Services sponsored and/or provided by a government agency.

• 公共卫生标准信息库（？）：

     公共卫生强调全人群的健康，而不是像医疗服务那样只是对个体的疾病进行治疗。根据美国医学研究所的定义：“公共卫生是为了满足人们的健康需求而创造的条件”。

   Public health addresses the health of the population as a whole rather than medical health care, which focuses on treatment of the individual ailment. According to the Institute of Medicine, the mission of public health is defined as "fulfilling society's interest in assuring conditions in which people can be healthy. ...

• 我的弗罗里达（美国机构）：

     通过对人们提供健康服务，或通过研究、调查、监测、培训和演示促进、维护和保持公众健康的项目。

   Means a program or programs to promote, maintain, and conserve the public's health by providing health services to individuals and/or by conducting research, investigations, examinations, training, and demonstrations.

• Wiki百科全书：

     公共卫生是健康服务的一个方面，它关注于通过人群健康分析而发现的对全社会健康构成威胁的因素。通常包括传染病的监测和控制、对健康行为的社会倡导。预防是公共卫生的另一个重要原则：计划免疫和提供免费避孕套都是公共卫生措施。

   Public health is an aspect of health services concerned with threats to the overall health of a community based on population health analysis. It generally includes surveillance and control of infectious disease and promotion of healthy behaviors among members of the community. Prevention is another important principle: both vaccination programs and free distribution of condoms are public health measures. ...