Healthy People 2020 has a basic assumption, namely which of the following is true?

• A. Any disparities among any groups are morally and legally wrong.
• B. Health care is the most important priority in government planning and funding.
• C. Health of individuals cannot be separated from the health of the community.
• D. Government is responsible for lengthening Americans' life span.

Answer: (C)

The main idea is that a person’s health is tied to the health of the community. Public health views individuals as part of an ecological system where social, economic, and environmental conditions shape health outcomes. When a community has clean water, safe housing, access to affordable care, education, healthy food, and supportive policies, individuals are more likely to stay healthy. Conversely, community problems like poverty, discrimination, or barriers to care harm everyone’s health. So, recognizing that individual health cannot be separated from community health captures this interconnected, system-wide perspective.

That’s why this option fits best: it reflects the holistic, community-focused approach of Healthy People 2020, which seeks to improve health for populations by addressing social determinants and creating healthier environments. The other choices imply a narrower focus—moral or legal judgments about disparities, prioritizing health care as the single government aim, or expecting the government to automatically lengthen life spans—which don’t align with the broader, interconnected view Healthy People 2020 promotes.