COMMUNITY HEALTH
INTRODUCTION
Define community health
Community health is a medical specialty that focuses on the physical and mental well-being of
the people in a specific geographic region. This important subsection of public health includes
initiatives to help community members maintain and improve their health, prevent the spread of
infectious diseases and prepare for natural disasters.
Roles of Community Health Workers
The roles and activities of community health workers (CHWs) are tailored to meet the unique
needs of the communities they serve. A CHW's role depends on factors such their education,
training, lived experience, and experience working with specific populations. CHWs may
perform the following roles:
i. Create connections between vulnerable populations and healthcare providers
ii. Help patients navigate healthcare and social service systems
iii. Manage care and care transitions for vulnerable populations
iv. Reduce social isolation among patients
v. Determine eligibility and enroll individuals in health insurance plans
vi. Ensure cultural competence among healthcare providers serving vulnerable populations
vii. Educate healthcare providers and stakeholders about community health needs
viii. Provide culturally appropriate health education on topics related to chronic disease
prevention, physical activity, and nutrition
ix. Advocate for underserved individuals or communities to receive services and resources to
address health needs
x. Collect data and relay information to stakeholders to inform programs and policies
xi. Provide informal counseling, health screenings, and referrals
xii. Build community capacity to address health issues
xiii. Address social determinants of health
The specific roles of CHWs may depend on:
Services provided by the program, such as:
o Advocacy
o Outreach and enrollment
o Navigation
, o Education
o Health services
o Social-emotional support
CHW skills and background, such as:
o Education
o Certification
o Training
o Communication
o Interpersonal and relationship-building
o Cultural competence
o Advocacy and capacity-building
o Facilitation and motivational interviewing
Principles of Primary Health Care (PHC):
Behind these elements lies a series of basic objectives that should be formulated in national
policies to launch and sustain primary healthcare (PHC) as part of a comprehensive health
system and coordination with other sectors.
i. Improvement in the level of health care of the community.
ii. Favorable population growth structure.
iii. Reduction in the prevalence of preventable, communicable, and other diseases.
iv. Reduction in morbidity and mortality rates especially among infants and children.
v. Extension of essential health services with priority given to the underserved sectors.
vi. Improvement in basic sanitation.
vii. Development of the capability of the community aimed at self-reliance.
viii. Maximizing the contribution of the other sectors for the social and economic
development of the community.
ix. Equitable distribution of health care– according to this principle, primary care and other
services to meet the main health problems in a community must be provided equally to
all individuals irrespective of their gender, age, and caste, urban/rural, and social class.
x. Community participation-comprehensive healthcare relies on adequate numbers and
distribution of trained physicians, nurses, allied health professions, community health
workers, and others working as a health team and supported at the local and referral
levels.
xi. Multi-sectional approach-recognition that health cannot be improved by intervention
within just the formal health sector; other sectors are equally important in promoting the
health and self-reliance of communities.
xii. Use of appropriate technology- medical technology should be provided that accessible,
affordable, feasible, and culturally acceptable to the community.
,Uses of health information
i. Patient Care
ii. Administration
iii. Claims & Reimbursements
iv. Inventory Management
v. Management’s Decision Making
vi. Quality Improvement & Organizational Learning
, CHAPTER TWO
COMMUNITY NUTRITION
Introduction
Community nutrition incorporates the study of nutrition and the promotion of good health
through food and nutrient intake in populations. This article will consider aspects of community
nutrition relating to dietary goals and recommendations for populations; methods of assessing
diet in population groups; and promoting healthy eating at the community level.
Classifications of Nutrients
Food does much more that satisfy your appetite. It provides nutrients that the body uses for
growth and health. There are five types of nutrients that fall into two broad categories:
macronutrients and micronutrients. Macronutrients, which are required in large amounts,
include carbohydrates, proteins and fats. In contrast, micronutrients are required in small
amounts and include vitamins and minerals. A sixth category includes water, which is essential
to life.
i. Carbohydrates- Carbohydrates have become the chief enemy to many dieters. Yet they
are essential macronutrients, since they fuel the brain and muscles. They also contain
the fiber the gut needs to properly function. Simple carbohydrates contain one or two
sugars, while complex carbohydrates are made of three or more linked sugars. Both
types deliver 4 calories per gram, but complex carbohydrates take longer to digest than
simple carbohydrates and promote satiety. Plant-based foods and whole grains are good
sources of complex carbohydrates, while simple carbohydrates abound in fruits, table
sugar, and honey and sweetened processed foods.
ii. Proteins- Proteins give structure to all cells. They also help repair tissues and fight
infection. When consumption exceeds the body's needs, protein can serve as an energy
source, delivering 4 calories per gram. Twenty amino acids constitute the building
blocks of proteins. Of these, nine are essential amino acids, which must come from the
diet. In contrast, the body can make the remaining non-essential amino acids if the need
arises. Animal products and legumes are good protein sources.
iii. Fats- Like carbohydrates and proteins, fats supply energy to fuel the processes that
keep your body alive. In contrast, however, they pack 9 calories per gram. They
generally fall in one of four categories, based on their chemical structure:
monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, saturated and trans fats. Trans fats are man-made
and considered the unhealthiest because they raise bad LDL cholesterol and lower good
HDL cholesterol. Saturated fats usually come from animal fats and tend to raise bad
cholesterol, while fish oil and vegetable fats are typically unsaturated and help lower
bad cholesterol.
iv. Vitamins- Vitamins are complex organic substances that team up with proteins called
enzymes, to help chemical reactions take place in the body. From reactions required for
food absorption to bone building and reproduction, they are involved. The Linus
INTRODUCTION
Define community health
Community health is a medical specialty that focuses on the physical and mental well-being of
the people in a specific geographic region. This important subsection of public health includes
initiatives to help community members maintain and improve their health, prevent the spread of
infectious diseases and prepare for natural disasters.
Roles of Community Health Workers
The roles and activities of community health workers (CHWs) are tailored to meet the unique
needs of the communities they serve. A CHW's role depends on factors such their education,
training, lived experience, and experience working with specific populations. CHWs may
perform the following roles:
i. Create connections between vulnerable populations and healthcare providers
ii. Help patients navigate healthcare and social service systems
iii. Manage care and care transitions for vulnerable populations
iv. Reduce social isolation among patients
v. Determine eligibility and enroll individuals in health insurance plans
vi. Ensure cultural competence among healthcare providers serving vulnerable populations
vii. Educate healthcare providers and stakeholders about community health needs
viii. Provide culturally appropriate health education on topics related to chronic disease
prevention, physical activity, and nutrition
ix. Advocate for underserved individuals or communities to receive services and resources to
address health needs
x. Collect data and relay information to stakeholders to inform programs and policies
xi. Provide informal counseling, health screenings, and referrals
xii. Build community capacity to address health issues
xiii. Address social determinants of health
The specific roles of CHWs may depend on:
Services provided by the program, such as:
o Advocacy
o Outreach and enrollment
o Navigation
, o Education
o Health services
o Social-emotional support
CHW skills and background, such as:
o Education
o Certification
o Training
o Communication
o Interpersonal and relationship-building
o Cultural competence
o Advocacy and capacity-building
o Facilitation and motivational interviewing
Principles of Primary Health Care (PHC):
Behind these elements lies a series of basic objectives that should be formulated in national
policies to launch and sustain primary healthcare (PHC) as part of a comprehensive health
system and coordination with other sectors.
i. Improvement in the level of health care of the community.
ii. Favorable population growth structure.
iii. Reduction in the prevalence of preventable, communicable, and other diseases.
iv. Reduction in morbidity and mortality rates especially among infants and children.
v. Extension of essential health services with priority given to the underserved sectors.
vi. Improvement in basic sanitation.
vii. Development of the capability of the community aimed at self-reliance.
viii. Maximizing the contribution of the other sectors for the social and economic
development of the community.
ix. Equitable distribution of health care– according to this principle, primary care and other
services to meet the main health problems in a community must be provided equally to
all individuals irrespective of their gender, age, and caste, urban/rural, and social class.
x. Community participation-comprehensive healthcare relies on adequate numbers and
distribution of trained physicians, nurses, allied health professions, community health
workers, and others working as a health team and supported at the local and referral
levels.
xi. Multi-sectional approach-recognition that health cannot be improved by intervention
within just the formal health sector; other sectors are equally important in promoting the
health and self-reliance of communities.
xii. Use of appropriate technology- medical technology should be provided that accessible,
affordable, feasible, and culturally acceptable to the community.
,Uses of health information
i. Patient Care
ii. Administration
iii. Claims & Reimbursements
iv. Inventory Management
v. Management’s Decision Making
vi. Quality Improvement & Organizational Learning
, CHAPTER TWO
COMMUNITY NUTRITION
Introduction
Community nutrition incorporates the study of nutrition and the promotion of good health
through food and nutrient intake in populations. This article will consider aspects of community
nutrition relating to dietary goals and recommendations for populations; methods of assessing
diet in population groups; and promoting healthy eating at the community level.
Classifications of Nutrients
Food does much more that satisfy your appetite. It provides nutrients that the body uses for
growth and health. There are five types of nutrients that fall into two broad categories:
macronutrients and micronutrients. Macronutrients, which are required in large amounts,
include carbohydrates, proteins and fats. In contrast, micronutrients are required in small
amounts and include vitamins and minerals. A sixth category includes water, which is essential
to life.
i. Carbohydrates- Carbohydrates have become the chief enemy to many dieters. Yet they
are essential macronutrients, since they fuel the brain and muscles. They also contain
the fiber the gut needs to properly function. Simple carbohydrates contain one or two
sugars, while complex carbohydrates are made of three or more linked sugars. Both
types deliver 4 calories per gram, but complex carbohydrates take longer to digest than
simple carbohydrates and promote satiety. Plant-based foods and whole grains are good
sources of complex carbohydrates, while simple carbohydrates abound in fruits, table
sugar, and honey and sweetened processed foods.
ii. Proteins- Proteins give structure to all cells. They also help repair tissues and fight
infection. When consumption exceeds the body's needs, protein can serve as an energy
source, delivering 4 calories per gram. Twenty amino acids constitute the building
blocks of proteins. Of these, nine are essential amino acids, which must come from the
diet. In contrast, the body can make the remaining non-essential amino acids if the need
arises. Animal products and legumes are good protein sources.
iii. Fats- Like carbohydrates and proteins, fats supply energy to fuel the processes that
keep your body alive. In contrast, however, they pack 9 calories per gram. They
generally fall in one of four categories, based on their chemical structure:
monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, saturated and trans fats. Trans fats are man-made
and considered the unhealthiest because they raise bad LDL cholesterol and lower good
HDL cholesterol. Saturated fats usually come from animal fats and tend to raise bad
cholesterol, while fish oil and vegetable fats are typically unsaturated and help lower
bad cholesterol.
iv. Vitamins- Vitamins are complex organic substances that team up with proteins called
enzymes, to help chemical reactions take place in the body. From reactions required for
food absorption to bone building and reproduction, they are involved. The Linus
