166 There is another category in this area: community health workers. They promote wellness by helping people adopt healthy behaviours. They implement programmes and advocate for people who may have limited access to health resources and social services. Community health workers are employed in a variety of settings, including hospitals, public health departments, and communitybased organisations. Do you know what palliative care is? Individuals officially recognised as disabled may receive financial support, benefits, and facilities, including pensions, tax reductions, mobility aids, workplace accommodations, and healthcare assistance to enhance their quality of life. See unit 6.3 for more details PUBLIC HEALTH AND COMMUNITY CARE CAREERS People who work in the sector of public health and community care focus on improving health at a population level, promoting wellness and ensuring vulnerable individuals receive the care they need. Here are some key careers in this field. Public health professionals Public health professionals play a crucial role in promoting and protecting the health and well-being of the population. Their primary responsibilities are to prevent disease, prolong life, and improve the overall health of communities. They usually have a degree in Medicine or Biology and a Master s Degree in Public Health or Specialisation in Hygiene and Preventive Medicine or Epidemiology. They may work for the ISS (Italian Ministry of Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanit ), or for Local Health Authorities (ASL). Their job is to research and advise on healthcare policies and reforms, and study disease patterns and outbreaks to develop prevention strategies. Their role is to oversee vaccination campaigns, health regulations, and emergency responses. Some figures in this field include public health officers, epidemiologists, and health policy analysts. The soft skills required are leadership, problem-solving, adaptability, analytical and critical thinking. Community operators Community operators take care of and deal with the recovery of people in conditions of great difficulty. These people could come from situations of poverty, addictions, have psychiatric illnesses or be homeless, and include minors hosted 336 WORK in family homes. This qualification is obtained with a degree in Education and Training Sciences. You can follow the three-year course, or obtain further specialised training by enrolling in the two-year course for the master s degree . Caregivers and support workers Caregivers and support workers assist elderly or disabled individuals with daily activities at home, or provide hands-on care in nursing facilities, or community centres, or support patients with terminal illnesses and their families. Disability examiners Disability examiners specialise in the analysis of applications for disability benefits; their task is to determine whether an applicant is disabled and the severity of the disability in question, according to the five areas identified by law: civil invalidity (law no. 118/1971 and subsequent amendments), blindness (law no. 382/1970 and subsequent amendments), deafness (law no. 381/1970 and subsequent amendments), handicaps (law no. 104/1992), and targeted job placement of disabled people (law no. 68/1999). If the examiner has determined a person meets the medical requirements, the public administration will make the decision as to the benefit amount the disabled person will receive. In Italy the INPS plays a central role in the assessment of disability, in all the different ways of carrying out the procedure. to oversee: supervisionare outbreak: epidemia