Community Health: Concepts, Principles, and History

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Questions and Answers

What is the purpose of integrating community service with academic study in service-learning?

to enrich learning, teach civic responsibility, and strengthen communities

What is the role of public health laboratory professionals according to the content?

Test environmental samples only

Test both biological and environmental samples to diagnose, prevent, treat, and control infectious diseases in the community (correct)

Prevent infectious diseases

Diagnose infectious diseases

All service-learning programs are composed of specific roles.

True

What is the primary purpose of governmental (official) health agencies?

To promote, protect, and maintain health in a community Signup and view all the answers

Which organization is considered the primary international health agency?

World Health Organization (WHO) Signup and view all the answers

Coordinated School Health Programs aim to protect, promote, and improve the __________ of students and staff.

health Signup and view all the answers

Quasi-governmental health organizations operate under direct government supervision.

False Signup and view all the answers

Match the following levels of health care with their description:

Primary Level of Care = First point of contact for the community Secondary Level of Care = Capable of performing minor surgeries and simple laboratory examinations Tertiary Level of Care = Rendered by specialists in specialized health facilities Signup and view all the answers

Define community health.

Community health is a discipline that is concerned with the betterment of health, focusing on people in the same geographic areas. Signup and view all the answers

Which factors affect the health of a community? (Select all that apply)

Social and cultural factors Signup and view all the answers

Public health is concerned with preventing disease, prolonging life, and promoting healthy behaviors.

True Signup and view all the answers

Health is a 'state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of __________.'

disease Signup and view all the answers

Match the historical periods with their key characteristics:

Middle Ages = Spiritual era, epidemics of communicable diseases Twentieth Century = Health resources development, reform period Post-war years = Hospital construction, polio vaccine Eighteenth Century = Industrial growth, crowded cities, poor sanitary conditions Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Community Health Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

Definition of Community Health: a field of public health that focuses on the health of a specific geographic area or population
Objectives of Community Health:
- Describe concepts and principles of community and public health
- Differentiate between community health and personal health, and between community health and public health
- Discuss the history of community and public health
- List serious health problems facing communities in the 1990s and early 2000s
- Offer an outlook for community health in the 21st century in the world and the Philippines

Health: Positive and Negative

Negative Health: absence of disease, illness, or sickness; measured by morbidity rates, mortality rates, and routinely collected statistics
Positive Health: not only the absence of disease, but also feelings of mental, physical, and social well-being; measured by quality of life measurements, disability-adjusted life years (DALY), and sickness impact profiles

Community

Definition: a group of people who form relationships over time by interacting regularly around shared experiences
Characteristics of a community:
- Biology: interacting organisms (people) sharing the same environment
- Sociology: a group of interacting people larger than a household living in a common location
- Composition: people, place, identity, common culture, social system
Elements of a community:
- People
- Place
- Identity
- Common culture
- Social system

Personal Health

Definition: individual actions and decision-making that affect the health of an individual or their immediate family
Influenced by:
- Environment
- Socioeconomic level
- Social status
- Income

Community Health

Definition: a field of public health that focuses on the health of a specific geographic area or population; includes private and public efforts of individuals, groups, or organizations
Purpose: to promote, protect, and preserve the health of those in the community

Factors Affecting Community Health

Physical factors:
- Geography
- Environment
- Industrial development
Social and cultural factors:
- Beliefs
- Traditions
- Prejudices
- Economics
- Socioeconomic status (SES)
Community organization factors:
- Ways in which communities organize their resources
Individual behavior factors:
- Takes the concerted effort of many individuals to make a community voluntary program work

Public Health

Definition: the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life, and promoting health through the efforts of the organized community
Purpose: to improve the quality of life of the people
Core element of government attempts to improve and promote the health and welfare of their citizens
Public health measures:
- Prevent epidemics and the spread of disease
- Protect against environmental hazards
- Prevent injuries
- Promote and encourage healthy behaviors
- Respond to disasters and assist communities in recovery
- Ensure the quality and accessibility of health services

History of Public Health

Evidence of community health practices in earliest civilizations
Middle Ages: little progress in public or community health
Period of Renaissance and Exploration: renewed interest in causes and cures of diseases
19th century: modern era of public health begins
20th century:
- Health resources development period (1900-1960)
- Reform period (1900-1920)
- Great Depression (1929-1935)
- Post-war years (1945-1960)
- Health promotion period (1975-1990)
- 1990s and early 2000s: six serious health challenges

Accomplishments in Public Health

Vaccination: eradication of smallpox, elimination of polio, control of measles, rubella, tetanus, diphtheria, Hib, etc.
Motor vehicle safety: improvement of motor-vehicle safety, reduction in motor-vehicle-related deaths
Safer workplaces: reduction of work-related health problems and injuries
Control of infectious diseases: decline in deaths from coronary disease and stroke
Safer and healthier foods: decreased microbial contamination and increased nutritional content
Healthier mothers and babies: better hygiene, nutrition, and access to healthcare
Fluoridation of drinking water
Recognition of tobacco use as a health hazard

Outlook for Community Health in the 21st Century

Challenges:
- Reduce the burden of excess morbidity and mortality suffered by the poor
- Counter potential threats to health resulting from economic crises, unhealthy environments, or risky behaviors
- Develop more effective health systems
- Expand the knowledge base

Organizations that Contribute to Community Health

Governmental health agencies:
- World Health Organization (WHO)
- National health agencies
- Regional/state health agencies
- Local health departments
Quasi-governmental health organizations:
- American Red Cross
- National Science Foundation
- National Academy of Sciences
Non-governmental health organizations (NGOs):
- Voluntary health agencies (e.g. American Cancer Society)
- Professional health organizations (e.g. PAMET, PASMETH)
- Philanthropic organizations
- Corporate organizations### Philanthropic Foundations
Providing money for projects and research to benefit society, often focused on improving health
Examples include the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Members enjoy social interaction with similar interests
Examples include the Jaycees, Kiwanis Club, Rotary Club, American Legion, Lion's Club, and Missionaries of Charity
Mission: Service to others in their communities

Corporate Involvement in Community Health

Corporations affect community health through environmental impact, natural resource use, waste disposal, work environment safety, and product/service types
Providing health care benefits to employees, health and safety education, and wellness programs

Levels of Health Care and Referral System in the Philippines

National Health Services and Medical Centers (top level)
Regional Health Services and Medical Centers
Provincial/City Health Services and Hospitals
Emergency/District Hospitals
Rural Health Units and Community Hospitals and Health Centers
Private Practitioners and Barangay Health Stations (lowest level)

Levels of Care

Primary Level of Care: First contact between community members and health facility
Healthcare provided by center physicians, public health nurses, rural health midwives, and others at barangay health stations and rural health units
Secondary Level of Care: Health facilities capable of performing minor surgeries and simple laboratory examinations
Given by physicians with basic health training
Referral center for primary health facilities
Tertiary Level of Care: Rendered by specialists in health facilities, including medical centers and specialized hospitals
Referral center for secondary care facilities
Complicated cases and intensive care

Teaching and Community and Public Health

Using a service-learning approach to enrich learning, teach civic responsibility, and strengthen communities
Incorporating allied medical courses, such as BSMLS, with important roles in diagnostic services and public health laboratory professionals

Service-Learning Roles and Outcomes

Service-learning consists of community service, academic study, and reflection
Outcomes include enhanced academic learning, purposeful civic learning, reflective observation, and evolving new paradigms

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Description

This quiz covers the concepts and principles of community health, differentiating between community health, personal health, and public health. It also discusses the history of community health and public health, and lists serious health problems facing communities in the 1990s and early 2000s.