CDC's Role in Core Public Health Functions Explained
This paper examines the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as a public health agency and analyzes its contributions to the core functions of public health. It outlines the CDC's mission, core values — accountability, respect, and integrity — and its responsibilities in disease surveillance, outbreak notification, and health promotion. The paper describes the diverse workforce that supports these functions, including behavioral scientists, biologists, health education specialists, and health informatics professionals. It also reviews key CDC publications such as the MMWR and Emerging Infectious Diseases journal, and briefly addresses the agency's Financial Management Office and its role in supporting domestic and international public health programs.
- Introduction: CDC mission and overview of core activities
- Core Values of the CDC: Accountability, respect, and integrity as guiding principles
- Role of the CDC in Public Health: Disease outbreak alerts and public health notifications
- How the CDC Assists Society: Publications, health data, and community information resources
- CDC Agency Employees and Workforce: Specialized roles supporting public health programs
- CDC Financial Management Office: Financial services supporting domestic and international programs
- Summary and Conclusion: Multi-faceted CDC role in disease prevention
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What makes this paper effective
- Directly quotes the CDC's own mission and core values statements, grounding claims in primary source material rather than secondary interpretation.
- Provides concrete, timely examples of CDC alerts — such as fungal meningitis outbreaks and West Nile Virus warnings — to illustrate the agency's real-world public health role.
- Uses a structured, enumerated format to describe specific workforce roles, making complex organizational functions accessible and easy to follow.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper demonstrates effective use of organizational self-documentation as primary evidence. By consistently citing official CDC web sources and quoting their stated missions, values, and role descriptions, the author builds an argument grounded in institutional authority. This approach is appropriate for a descriptive agency analysis and shows how government websites can function as credible primary sources in public health writing.
Structure breakdown
The paper opens with an introduction establishing the CDC as the subject of study, then moves through the agency's core values and public-facing role. A central section on workforce details the specialized professionals who carry out public health functions, supported by direct quotations. Briefer sections cover publications, community health programs, and financial management before a short concluding summary. The structure follows a logical descriptive arc from mission and values to operations and staffing.
Introduction
The objective of this paper is to examine a public health agency and its contribution to the core functions of public health. The agency chosen for this study is the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The CDC states its mission as collaborating to "create the expertise, information, and tools that people and communities need to protect their health — through health promotion, prevention of disease, injury and disability, and preparedness for new health threats" (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2012, p. 1). The CDC seeks partners throughout the United States and around the world to assist in accomplishing its mission by monitoring health; detecting and investigating health problems; conducting research to enhance prevention; developing and advocating sound public health policies; implementing prevention strategies; promoting healthy behaviors; fostering safe and healthful environments; and providing leadership and training (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2012, p. 1). These functions are central to the CDC's mission, as each of the agency's component organizations undertakes these activities in conducting its specific programs.
Core Values of the CDC
The CDC reports its core values as follows:
(1) Accountability — As diligent stewards of public trust and public funds, we act decisively and compassionately in service to the people's health. We ensure that our research and our services are based on sound science and meet real public needs to achieve our public health goals.
(2) Respect — We respect and understand our interdependence with all people, both inside the agency and throughout the world, treating them and their contributions with dignity and valuing individual and cultural diversity. We are committed to achieving a diverse workforce at all levels of the organization.
(3) Integrity — We are honest and ethical in all we do. We will do what we say. We prize scientific integrity and professional excellence. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2012, p. 1)
Role of the CDC in Public Health
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention holds responsibility for keeping the public informed and aware of contagious disease outbreaks and for providing warnings about food and medicine contamination. For example, in recent years the CDC has responded to outbreaks of fungal meningitis in a multistate area, in addition to publishing warnings about Salmonella Bredeney poisoning in peanut butter and Listeriosis poisoning from Ricotta Salata Cheese. Reports and warnings have also been published by the CDC regarding West Nile Virus and Influenza A (H3N2) Variant Virus (H3N2v). It is important that the public and health care practitioners be informed in a timely manner about such threats, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention fulfills this critical public health function.
References
Business Practices (2012). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved from
Employment (2012). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved from
CDC: Mission, Core Values, and Pledge (2012). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved from
Top Jobs and the CDC (2012). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved from
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