The community health refers to the general state of health in a given population and the activities, strategies and methodologies implemented to improve it. It is defined by the interaction between the characteristics of the people, their social environment and health services, together with the influence of political, historical and cultural factors..
This concept implies a global and overall health vision, which is different from the result of the sum of the individual health of its members. In turn, it supposes that the community itself can be the generator of both sources of diseases and infections and of prevention and improvement actions for these problems..
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), community health is the "set of collective efforts of populations to increase their control over the determinants of health".
This body highlights that the circumstances in which people are born, grow, live, work and age are key elements of health and a consequence of current policies and the distribution of resources.
For this reason, it maintains that the strategies and improvement plans, in addition to dealing with health aspects, must also act on the social and cultural factors related to this issue present in the community.
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Access to community health is a natural right that both the state and society itself must guarantee to its citizens.
Its objectives are to protect the community from risk factors, improve the care and quality of life of people and promote personal and group care through education and prevention.
Among the main characteristics of this type of health are equity, since it allows to remedy social inequalities, and community participation, since both public and private actors intervene in its processes..
It also stands out for its accessibility, which should cover the entire population, and for requiring the implementation of policies and actions for diagnosis, planning, implementation and evaluation of results to guarantee its efficiency..
On the other hand, its execution requires a multidisciplinary work team that covers physical, psychological and social aspects, and that has the capacity to mobilize outside the health centers to evaluate the situation of people.
The diagnosis of community health refers to the need to collect and analyze data from citizens and society to assess their general state and, based on this, devise projects and improvement measures.
It is the first phase of any planning process, which provides the tools to know what the current situation is and to know in which specific areas to work..
Among other factors, the diagnosis must evaluate the demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of the community, its physical environment, the health status of the people, and the resources and professionals available to carry out the different processes..
This research requires the study of quantitative and qualitative data, including individual and group interviews, community meetings and public forums where the issue is analyzed and discussed to identify the needs and gaps in this regard..
In addition, the opinion of specialists must also be consulted and a priority agenda must be set to develop action plans.
On the other hand, this process requires the development of a network of alliances and synergies between different public and private actors, to act cooperatively and thus achieve the goals that are set..
Community health care implies promoting prevention and the physical, psychological and social well-being of people, and guaranteeing basic care for the sick.
For this, the strategies and action plans carried out must identify the main needs in this field and the causes and motives that originate them..
Unlike public health, which only deals with providing services to the people who demand them, community health aims at the population as a whole.
Through it, it is sought that citizens assume a responsibility in the care of their own health and that of others, through training and awareness.
On the other hand, in addition to health matters proper, in this case we also work on the social and cultural factors that are determining factors in the appearance and development of diseases.
Among the main factors that hinder efficient management of community health are geographic barriers, administrative problems, lack of material and financial resources, poor communication, lack of professional capacity, and low-quality care.
Some examples of community health are:
-Public health prevention and promotion campaigns on public roads or in the media.
-The delivery of condoms to raise awareness about the risks of sexually transmitted diseases.
-Free vaccinations in the neighborhoods.
-Primary care plans in the communities.
-Agreements between governments, educational centers and companies to sponsor or manage certain community services.
-Talks about sex education in schools.
-Training on first aid, self-exams, care and basic hygiene conditions.
-Actions to raise awareness about the importance of donating organs.
-Scientific research on certain health problems present in the community.
-Free exams and checkups that are performed in rural areas or in low-income communities.
-Measures to guarantee access to drinking water and basic sanitation for all citizens.
-Delivering free medicines to patients who need and cannot afford them.
-Companies and institutions that train their staff so that they can perform health-related primary care functions.
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