Description

The last century has seen the greatest improvement

in populations health in many countries and in particular

the western world. Technical advance in all aspects of life

was the characteristic of the century and no doubt many to

come in the new millennium. Such technical advances have impacted

on individuals in particular and society in general. The greatest

impact was probably in the area of preventing diseases, maintaining

health, deliver healthcare and interv has with the ills of

the human body. Nevertheless, our health will continue to

be largely influenced by the health of our planet. This paper

scans the horizon and looks and some of the possible impacts

of technology, demographic changes and the health of our environment

on the ways we address health and healthcare issues. It represents

a challenging agenda for public health physicians in their

unique role in protecting and improving health through the

knowledge of human biology and its interaction with the environment.