Book Review: Encyclopedia of Public Health: Principles, Peoples, and Programs

The Encyclopedia of Public Health: Principles, Peoples, and Programs, a new addition to Greenwood’s health reference catalog, provides a solid resource for libraries looking for a good, low-cost encyclopedia for their public health collection. Dr. Sally Kuykendall, the editor, is a professor of health services at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia and an independent evaluator of public health programs. She has assembled a knowledgeable team of public health experts, health scientists, and medical historians as contributors, who present topics relating to public health in an easily-readable format for general readers. The two volumes present signed articles alphabetically by entry, with cross-references and bibliographies. The text is scattered throughout with black and white illustrations. Both volumes contain a contents section, a guide to related topics that groups articles by theme, a chronology, and an introduction. Volume 2 contains a glossary, a list of organizations and contributors, and a comprehensive index, as well as a section on “Controversies in public health,” which discusses hot button issues like anti-vaccination trends and health care for undocumented immigrants. Kuykendall maintains an even tone and fair treatment of all sides, allowing both pro- and anti-sides of an issue their say.