Which of the following is the third core public health function?

The third core public health function is assurance. This function involves ensuring that essential community health services are available and accessible, and it plays a critical role in the overall public health system. Assurance encompasses a variety of activities aimed at ensuring that health services are provided to the population, including evaluating the effectiveness and quality of services offered, enforcing laws and regulations that protect public health, and ensuring that healthcare providers are adequately trained and equipped to provide care.

By focusing on assurance, public health officials aim to promote a healthy population by not only providing preventive services and interventions but also by making sure those services are delivered effectively and reach all segments of the population. This is crucial for addressing health disparities and ensuring equitable access to care.

In the context of public health functions, assessment involves monitoring health status and identifying community health problems, while policy development refers to the creation of public health policies and strategies to address those problems. Quality assurance, while important, is generally seen as part of the broader assurance function rather than a distinct core function itself. Therefore, assurance stands out as the key function that encompasses the responsibility to ensure a standard of care and the availability of necessary resources for the community.