Community Health organizing concepts

community health professionals must possess specific knowledge and skills.

identify problems , develop plan to attack each problem gather the resources necessary to carry out

that plan, implement that plan and then evaluate the results to determine

the degree of progress that has been achieved.

Community Organizing/Building

Each community health worker must master 2 important skills:

• The skills to organize a community • and to plan a health promotion program

Definition Community health organizing is the

strategic and proactive process of identifying healthcare needs of a given population and prioritizing services to meet the needs within resources available.

This applies to all services provided by local authority, private sector or voluntary sectors.

Process of community health organizing

It involves planning, designing, and implementing a range of services.

Services should meet a population’s healthcare needs fairly, efficiently, and effectively.

Should include prevention and early intervention.

Politico-economic climate of health and social care

Service user/client

focus

Assumptions of community Organizing

• According to Ross these assumptions should be considered when organizing communities:

• 1- Communities can develop capacities and skills o solve problems

• 2.People who want change can change• 3.People should participate in making,

adjusting or controlling the major changes taking place within their communities

• 4.Changes that are self developed have a meaning and permanence than those imposed

• 5.A holistic approach can successfully address problems

• 6.Democracy requires cooperative participation

• 7.Frequently communities need help in organizing to deal with their needs

The process of Community Organizing

• 1.Recognizing the issue/ the problem• 2.Gaining entry to the community• 3.Organizing the people• 4.Assessing the community• 5.Determining the priorities and setting goals• 6.Arriving at a solution and selecting intervention

strategies• 7.Implementing the plan• 8.Evaluating the outcome of action plan• 9.Maintaining the outcomes in the community• 10.Looping back

Other approaches PATCH (Planned approach to community

health): Five phases:

1. Mobilizing the community.

2. Collecting and organizing data.

3. Choosing health priorities.

4. Developing a comprehensive intervention plan.

5. Evaluating PATCH

Definition

Public Health assessment PHA is “a systematic method for reviewing the health problems facing a population. Its purpose is to lead to agreed priorities and resource allocation that will improve health and reduce

inequities ”(NICE,2005:3).

Health need assessment(HNA) focuses on

Population not

individualsSetting heath

priorities& resource allocation

Active involvement of service

users

Five steps approach to HNAStep 1: Getting start:1. What population?2. What are you trying to do?3. Who needs to be involved?4. What resource are required?5. What are the risks?

Steps 2: Identifying health problem:1.Population profiling2.Gathering data3.Perceptions of needs4.Identifying &assessing health conditions &determinants factors

Step 3: Assessing a health priority for action:1.Choosing health condition(size, severity)& determinates factors2.Determining effective intervention/action

Step4: planning for change1.Clarifying aims of intervention2.Action planning3. Monitoring an evaluation strategy4.Risk management strategy

Step 5: Moving on &review1.learning from the project

2.Measuring impactChoosing the next priority.

Skills needed to carry out HNA

Project management. Team building. Partnership working. Community engagement. Population profiling. Data collection. Monitoring/ setting indicators. A multidisciplinary team of public health

professionals needs to identify who has which skills and use them to conduct an effective HNA.

Assignment

Choose a health problem Explain how you can use the PATCH

approach to organize or build the community to solve the health problem

Thank you