The MPH Program
The United States and much of the world are experiencing epidemics of chronic diseases.
Chronic diseases are, by far, the leading cause of disability, death, and health care
expenditures in the United States. About 60% of adults age 18 and over, and more than 90
percent of adults aged 65 and over, have at least one chronic medical condition. In 2004,
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that chronic diseases are responsible
for 7 of every 10 deaths in the United States, and account for more than 70% of the $1
trillion spent on health care each year in the United States. Yet chronic diseases are
largely preventable through use of effective measures which exist today.
The Master of Public Health Degree Program at Illinois provides education and training
in the core competencies of public health, with a focus on chronic disease prevention.
In particular, the MPH curriculum deals with lifestyle modification; risk factors such as
tobacco use, poor diet, and lack of physical activity are major causes of chronic disease.
The program includes several features critical to development of skills in prevention and
control of chronic diseases including:
Program features
- state-of-the art curriculum in policy and environmental approaches to chronic disease prevention
- a strong commitment to interdisciplinary education and research that addresses issues such as health
disparities, environmental justice, and social determinants of disease
- a long-standing campus and collegewide tradition of translating knowledge generated by research
into real-world applications
- exceptional opportunities to study and work in community partnerships to address
public health needs in chronic disease prevention, with a focus on how to work with
smaller cities and the rural areas adjacent to them.