Community DiagnosisCommunity Diagnosis

Definition of a “Community”Definition of a “Community”

A cluster of people with at least one A cluster of people with at least one common characteristic (geographic common characteristic (geographic location, occupation, ethnicity, housing location, occupation, ethnicity, housing condition……)condition……)

A group of people with a common A group of people with a common characteristic or interest living together characteristic or interest living together within a larger society within a larger society

Community Community

A community is a whole entity that A community is a whole entity that functions because of the interdependence functions because of the interdependence of its parts or subsystems. Eight of its parts or subsystems. Eight subsystems plus the community core are subsystems plus the community core are identified.identified.

Community CoreCommunity Core

1. Community core: history, socio-demographic 1. Community core: history, socio-demographic characteristics, vital statistics, characteristics, vital statistics, values/beliefs/religions.corevalues/beliefs/religions.core

Eight SubsystemsEight Subsystems

2. Eight subsystems: 2. Eight subsystems: • Physical environmentPhysical environment• EducationEducation• Safety and transportationSafety and transportation• Politics and governmentPolitics and government• Health and social servicesHealth and social services• CommunicationCommunication• EconomicsEconomics• recreationrecreation

Definition of Community DiagnosisDefinition of Community Diagnosis

Community diagnosis generally refers to Community diagnosis generally refers to the identification and quantification of the identification and quantification of health problems in a community as a health problems in a community as a whole in terms of mortality and morbidity whole in terms of mortality and morbidity rates and ratios, and identification of their rates and ratios, and identification of their correlates for the purpose of defining correlates for the purpose of defining those at risk or those in need of health those at risk or those in need of health care. care.

The Community Diagnosis ProcessThe Community Diagnosis Process

““A means of examining aggregate and A means of examining aggregate and social statistics in addition to the social statistics in addition to the knowledge of the local situation, in order to knowledge of the local situation, in order to determine the health needs of the determine the health needs of the community”community”

GoalGoal The mission of community diagnosis is to:The mission of community diagnosis is to:

Analyze the health status of the communityAnalyze the health status of the community Evaluate the health resources, services, and systems Evaluate the health resources, services, and systems

of care within the communityof care within the community Assess attitudes toward community health services Assess attitudes toward community health services

and issuesand issues Identify priorities, establish goals, and determine Identify priorities, establish goals, and determine

courses of action to improve the health status of the courses of action to improve the health status of the communitycommunity

Establish an epidemiologic baseline for measuring Establish an epidemiologic baseline for measuring improvement over time.improvement over time.

How is the community How is the community diagnosed?diagnosed?

Community AnalysisCommunity Analysis

Community analysis is the process of Community analysis is the process of examining data to define needs strengths, examining data to define needs strengths, barriers, opportunities, readiness, and barriers, opportunities, readiness, and resources. The product of analysis is the resources. The product of analysis is the “community profile”.“community profile”.

Community Analysis (cont.)Community Analysis (cont.)

To analyze assessment data is helpful to To analyze assessment data is helpful to categorize the data. This may be done as categorize the data. This may be done as following:following:

DemographicDemographic EnvironmentalEnvironmental Socioeconomic Socioeconomic Health resources and servicesHealth resources and services Health policiesHealth policies Study of target groups. Study of target groups.

Community is diagnosed using:Community is diagnosed using:

Health IndicatorsHealth Indicators

Indicators of healthIndicators of health are variables used are variables used for the assessment of community health.for the assessment of community health.

Characteristics of Indicators:Characteristics of Indicators: a. should be a. should be validvalid, , i.e., they should actually measure i.e., they should actually measure

what they are supposed to measure;what they are supposed to measure;

b. should be b. should be reliablereliable and objective, i.e., the answers and objective, i.e., the answers should be the same if measured by different people in should be the same if measured by different people in similar circumstances;similar circumstances;

c. should be c. should be sensitivesensitive, , i.e., they should be sensitive to i.e., they should be sensitive to changes in the situation concerned,changes in the situation concerned,

d. should be d. should be specificspecific, , i.e., they should reflect changes i.e., they should reflect changes only in the situation concerned,only in the situation concerned,

e. should be e. should be feasiblefeasible, , i.e., they should have the ability to i.e., they should have the ability to obtain data needed, and;obtain data needed, and;

f. should be f. should be relevantrelevant, , i.e., they should contribute to thei.e., they should contribute to theunderstanding of the phenomenon of interest.understanding of the phenomenon of interest.

Classification of health IndicatorsClassification of health Indicators

Mortality indicatorsMortality indicators Morbidity indicators Morbidity indicators Disability rates Disability rates Nutritional status Nutritional status

indicatorsindicators Health care delivery Health care delivery

indicators indicators Utilization rates Utilization rates

Indicators of social and Indicators of social and mental health mental health

Environmental indicatorsEnvironmental indicators Socio-economic Socio-economic

indicators indicators Health policy indicators Health policy indicators Indicators of quality of lifeIndicators of quality of life Other indicatorsOther indicators

Mortality IndicatorsMortality Indicators Mortality RatesMortality Rates- The traditional measures of health status.- The traditional measures of health status.- Widely used because of their ready availabilityWidely used because of their ready availability.( death certificate is a legal .( death certificate is a legal

requirement in many countries)requirement in many countries)

Crude death ratesCrude death rates Specific death rates: age/disease Specific death rates: age/disease Expectation of lifeExpectation of life Infant mortality rateInfant mortality rate Maternal mortality rateMaternal mortality rate Proportionate mortality ratioProportionate mortality ratio Case Fatality rateCase Fatality rate

Morbidity IndicatorsMorbidity Indicators

Morbidity ratesMorbidity rates - Data on morbidity are preferable, - Data on morbidity are preferable,

although often difficult to obtain.although often difficult to obtain.

Incidence and prevalenceIncidence and prevalence Notification ratesNotification rates Attendance rates: out-patient Attendance rates: out-patient

clinics or health centers.clinics or health centers. Admission and discharge ratesAdmission and discharge rates Hospital stay duration ratesHospital stay duration rates

Disability IndicatorsDisability Indicators

Disability ratesDisability rates No. of days of restricted activityNo. of days of restricted activity Bed disability daysBed disability days Work/School loss days within a specified Work/School loss days within a specified

period.period. Expectation of life free of disabilityExpectation of life free of disability

Nutritional IndicatorsNutritional Indicators

Nutritional Status Nutritional Status IndicatorsIndicators

- It is an indicator of positive health- It is an indicator of positive health

Anthropometrics measurementsAnthropometrics measurements Height of children at school entryHeight of children at school entry Prevalence of low birth weightPrevalence of low birth weight Clinical surveys: Anaemia, Clinical surveys: Anaemia,

Hypothyroidism, NightblindnessHypothyroidism, Nightblindness

Health Care Delivery IndicatorsHealth Care Delivery Indicators

Health Care Delivery Health Care Delivery IndicatorsIndicators

- Reflect the Equity / Provision of - Reflect the Equity / Provision of health carehealth care

Doctor / Population ratioDoctor / Population ratio Doctor / Nurse ratioDoctor / Nurse ratio Population / Bed ratioPopulation / Bed ratio Population / per health centerPopulation / per health center

Utilization IndicatorsUtilization Indicators

Health care utilization Health care utilization RatesRates

- - Extent of use of health servicesExtent of use of health services

- Proportion of people in need of service - Proportion of people in need of service who actually receive it in a given who actually receive it in a given periodperiod

Proportion of infants who are Proportion of infants who are fully immunized in the 1fully immunized in the 1stst year year of life. of life. i.e..immunization coverage.i.e..immunization coverage.

Proportion of pregnant women Proportion of pregnant women who receive ANC.who receive ANC.

Hospital-Beds occupancy rate.Hospital-Beds occupancy rate. Hospital-Beds turn-over ratioHospital-Beds turn-over ratio

Social/Mental Health IndicatorsSocial/Mental Health Indicators

Indicators of Social and Indicators of Social and Mental HealthMental Health

- Valid positive indicators does not often - Valid positive indicators does not often existexist

- Indirect measures are commonly used- Indirect measures are commonly used

Suicide & Homicide ratesSuicide & Homicide rates Road traffic accidentsRoad traffic accidents Alcohol and drug Alcohol and drug

abuse.abuse.

Environmental IndicatorsEnvironmental Indicators

Environmental health Environmental health IndicatorsIndicators

- Reflect the quality of environment- Reflect the quality of environment

Measures of PollutionMeasures of Pollution The proportion of people The proportion of people

having access to safe water having access to safe water and sanitation facilitiesand sanitation facilities

Vectors densityVectors density

Socio-economic IndicatorsSocio-economic Indicators

Socio-economic Socio-economic IndicatorsIndicators

- Is not a direct measure of health - Is not a direct measure of health status.status.

- For interpretation of health care - For interpretation of health care indicators.indicators.

Rate of population increaseRate of population increase Per capita GNPPer capita GNP Level of unemploymentLevel of unemployment Literacy rates - femalesLiteracy rates - females Family sizeFamily size Housing condition e.g. No. of Housing condition e.g. No. of

persons per roompersons per room

Health Policy IndicatorsHealth Policy Indicators

Health Policy IndicatorsHealth Policy Indicators - - Allocation of adequate resources.Allocation of adequate resources.

Proportion of GNP spent on Proportion of GNP spent on health services.health services.

Proportion of GNP spent on Proportion of GNP spent on health related activities.health related activities.

Proportion of total health Proportion of total health resources devoted to primary resources devoted to primary health carehealth care

Other IndicatorsOther Indicators

Other health Other health indicatorsindicators

Indicators of quality of life.Indicators of quality of life. Basic needs indicators.Basic needs indicators. Health for all indicators.Health for all indicators.

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