Community health

Community health refers to the health status of a group of individuals, including the distribution of health outcomes within a community. The health characteristics of a community are often examined using geographic information system (GIS) software and public health datasets. Community health, a field of public health, is a discipline that concerns itself with the study and improvement of the health characteristics of biological communities.

French Hill visits Health Connections Little Rock Franklin Community Health Center

Definition

Community health is a branch of public health which focuses on people and their role as determinants of their own and other people's health in contrast to environmental health, which focuses on the physical environment and its impact on people's health.

Community health status

Community health status is determined by the environmental characteristics, behavioral characteristics, social cohesion in the environment of that community. Factors such as water and air quality, housing conditions, and access to resources can influence the health status of a community.

Community health improvement

The process of community health improvement involves diagnosing and treating health conditions in a community. This involves not only treating individuals, but also addressing social determinants of health. Community health improvement programs aim to improve health outcomes and reduce health disparities.

Community health assessment

A community health assessment is a process by which community health boards collect data on health trends and health disparities among different demographic groups. This data is used to identify key health issues and develop strategies to address them.

Community health worker

A community health worker is a frontline public health worker who is a trusted member of the community and has a close understanding of the community. This relationship enables the worker to serve as a liaison between health and social services and the community.

See also

• Public health
• Environmental health
• Health disparities
• Health equity

References

This article is a stub. You can help WikiMD by registering to expand it. Editing is available only to registered and verified users. WikiMD is a comprehensive, free health & wellness encyclopedia.