Public Health Nursing Practice Exam

What type of health care function is represented by local health departments providing hypertension screenings?

1. Direct services

2. Financing

3. Information

4. Policy setting

The correct answer is: Direct services

The provision of hypertension screenings by local health departments is classified as direct services. Direct services in public health involve providing specific health-related services to individuals in the community, which can include screenings, immunizations, and health assessments. These activities are essential for early detection and management of health issues, allowing for timely interventions that can improve individual and community health outcomes. In this scenario, the local health departments are actively engaging in the health promotion and disease prevention process by directly offering screenings for hypertension, which helps identify individuals at risk or already affected by high blood pressure. By doing so, they contribute to managing a significant public health concern and facilitating further medical care or education as needed. The other options do not fit as well in this context. Financing refers to the methods and systems used to fund health services, information pertains to health education and dissemination of health-related data, while policy setting involves the creation of guidelines and regulations to govern health practices and resource allocation. Therefore, the most appropriate classification for hypertension screenings provided by local health departments is indeed direct services.