A nurse at a public health department reviews evidence from Healthy People 2030. What overarching goal should the nurse identify?

The overarching goal of Healthy People 2030 is to create social, physical, and economic environments that promote attaining the full potential for health and well-being for all. This goal emphasizes a comprehensive and holistic approach to health that goes beyond traditional healthcare and focuses on fostering environments that enable every individual to thrive.

By promoting healthy environments, Healthy People 2030 seeks to address various factors that influence health, such as social determinants of health, which include economic stability, education, social and community context, health and healthcare, and neighborhood and built environment. This emphasis reflects an understanding that health does not exist in isolation but is significantly shaped by the conditions in which people live, learn, work, and play.

While reducing health disparities, increasing access to preventive services, and enhancing global health initiatives are important objectives within the framework of public health, they are more specific strategies or outcomes that support the broader, overarching goal of creating conducive environments for all individuals to achieve optimal health. This foundational goal sets the stage for achieving various health priorities in a way that is inclusive and equitable, thus ensuring the well-being of the entire community.