Professional public health societies and associations play important roles for the professionals and the communities. They are also involved in making health policies and standards ^{[1, 2]}.

There are many professional public health associations in USA [3-8]^[3]. Some of these organizations have a broad or comprehensive public health focus, like the American Public Health Association (APHA) (https://www.apha.org/), while others have been created to serve specialty areas, such as the Society of Public Health Educators (SOPHE) (http://www.sophe.org/). In Table 1, we listed selected Public health associations in USA.

Table 1. Selected Professional Public Health Associations in USA (listed alphabetically)

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The objectives of Public health associations are many. But they concentrate on education and training of the professionals. These associations improve the health through leadership, collaboration, mentoring and advocacy. Public health associations are protecting the communities through disease surveillance, ensuring a safer environment, and promoting healthy lifestyles and healthy communities.

Formation of public health Associations in USA started from as early as eighteen centuries. All the states have their own public health association. All these associations are affiliated to APHA, with Vermont State the last to join.

APHA is one of the oldest and largest public health professional organizations, working to improve public health since 1872 ^{[5, 6, 7, 8]}. APHA is the national voice of public health .APHA publishes the American Journal of Public Health and The Nation’s Health, convenes an Annual Meeting and Exposition ^{[5, 6, 7, 8]}.

APHA claims over 50,000 members, from over 50 occupations of public health from throughout the world.

While APHA is the national voice on public health, it could not succeed without the complementary efforts of its Affiliates. Since 1918, APHA’s 54 state and regional public health associations have championed the same goals as APHA to promote, protect and advocate for the public's health.

This manuscript is just an overview; however, there is an obvious need for more studies to evaluate the activities of these Associations and to find a better ways for these Associations to improve their performance.

Each Association has to find the best tools to encourage all the members to be active. Women and young doctors, in particular, should find a place in the executive committees of these societies.

Membership of these associations should not be limited to doctors and should be extended to health educators, vternians ^[9], nurses ^[10], community leaders and citizens committed to improving the health.

References

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