Public health reflects both the lifestyle of the citizens and the ability of the healthcare system to promote health, prevent development of diseases, treat, and rehabilitate patients. The general social and living conditions, such as education, income, housing conditions, work environment as well as geography and the organisation of the healthcare system, all play an important role in ensuring a healthy life. Other important factors are gender, age, and hereditary factors.  

The Danish healthcare system is a universal coverage system financed via taxes, which provides free and equal access to healthcare for all citizens. The five Danish regions are responsible for services at the hospitals, reimbursement of medicines and contracts with local general practitioners, while the 98 municipalities are responsible for out-patient care services such as rehabilitation, prevention, and elderly care.

The state lays down the overall framework to enable people to live a healthy life, and the municipalities are responsible for ensuring that the local community provides healthy environments as well as health-promoting and disease-preventing activities and facilities. The specific health-promoting efforts at local level are not defined by law. The efforts of individual municipalities depend on the health conditions of the local population and on local priorities.

The transformation of the Danish healthcare system includes a high focus on population health management, equity, and prevention, as the goal is to increase the health status of the population.