Assessing the Community

Chapter 11

Defining the Community

A permeable and dynamic collection of citizens who interact with each other and their environment, and who share common traits, culture, qualities, features, social structures, and/or geographical boundaries (Hitchcock et al. 2010). See page 217 for WHO definition

Defining the Community cond

Context and resource Community as client Political and Relational Aspects of Community
The Holographic Community pg 219 Communities of Interest

Defining Healthy Community

Health Promotion defined by the WHO (1986), is the process of enabling people to increase control over, and to improve their health. In order to reach a full state of physical, mental and social well-being, an individual or group must be able to identify and to realize aspirations, to satisfy needs, and to change or cope with the environment. Health is, therefore, seen as a resource of everyday life, not the objective of living. Health is a positive concept emphasizing social and personal resources, as well as physical capacities.

 Community participation in community assessment- WHO identified the belief in the importance of active community participation and partnership during all stages of health care services delivery including assessment, planning, delivery, and evaluation as detailed in the document Health for all by the year 2000. Community organization is a strategy used to promote health, overcome a problem or meet a need in the community- Dimensions of community Competence Table 11-1, How Community Organization Enhances Community Competence Table 11-2.

Defining Need
Types of Need According to Bradshaw (1972) 1. Felt need 2. Expressed need 3. Normative need 4. Comparative need

The Community Assessment Process

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Identification of available resources Establishment of project team and steering committee Development of a research plan and time frame Collection and analysis of information already available Completion of community research Analysis of results Reporting back to the community Setting priorities for action Determination of responses to the needs identified. Planning and implementation.

Community Assessment Tools

Demographic and epidemiological data Liturature review Previously conducted community survesy Participant observation (windshield survey) Key informants Surveys of community members Focus groups Community forum Nominal group process

The future
Working together with members of the community, other health care professionals and stakeholders in order to achieve a common identified goal (PHAC 2007). CHN utilize empowering strategies that help to build capacities by moving individuals, groups and communities toward the discovery of their strengths and their ability to take action to improve quality of live (CHNAC 2003)