Our

Mission & Values

From public health workers to community members and policymakers, public health is everyone’s responsibility.

UPHA is here to foster collaboration among these groups so we can all keep Utah healthy.

We empower public health workers by providing education and by giving them a voice, so they can speak up for public health and promote better community wellness.

We inform community members so they can do their part to keep our collective health strong.

We advocate for legislation, so policymakers can address public health issues effectively.

We do it because we believe a healthy Utah is a happy Utah.

A Brief History

Public Health efforts have long been an integral part of our state in various formats. The Utah Public Health Association (UPHA) was born over 100 years ago out of a desire to unify efforts to advocate for and promote public health. Over the years, UPHA has continued to work to protect our communities.

In 1917, UPHA launched a free statewide health program, enlisting 6th graders to do daily health “chores” to keep themselves healthy.
In 1918, they introduced public health nurses to help Utahns understand and combat tuberculosis, which was wreaking havoc on the rural communities in the state. By the outbreak of the 1918 flu pandemic, most of public health efforts were diverted to caring for the sick and preventing the spread of the illness.
After the 1918 flu abated UPHA regrouped, fighting back disease, providing tools for healthy living, and making Utah a safer, healthier place to live.
In 1920, UPHA helped fight off the Typhoid epidemic.
In 1923, they bought a car they dubbed the Tin Lizzy that drove up and down the state, providing free vaccinations to rural areas.

Every time there has been a preventable disease public health has been there on the front lines, fighting it back. And when there wasn’t an emergent outbreak of disease, public health established traveling dental clinics, camps for underprivileged kids to learn about healthy lifestyles, diabetes prevention programs, seat belt campaigns, statewide vaccine programs, active transportation initiatives, newborn health screenings, and more.