POPULATIONS

AS THE FOCUS OF

COMMUNITY HEALTH

NURSING

DEFINING POPULATIONS - 1

Population: the general public or society or a collection of communities.

Aggregates: populations with some common characteristic who frequently have common concerns, but may not interact with each other to address those concerns.

DEFINING POPULATIONS - 2

Community: a group of people who share common interests, who interact with each other, and who function collectively within a defined social structure to address common concerns.

Neighborhood: a smaller, more homogeneous group than a community that involves interaction and a level of identification with others living near-by

TYPES OF COMMUNITY

Geopolitical communities: communities

characterized by geographic and

jursidictional boundaries.

Community of identity: communities with

a common identity and interests

DEFINING POPULATION HEALTH

The attainment of the greatest possible

biologic, psychological, and social well-

being of the population as an entity and of

its individual members.

CHARACTERISTICS OF HEALTHY POPULATIONS - 1

Provide a healthful physical environment Maintain a stable ecosystem Comprise a strong, supportive, non-

exploitive membership Provide for extensive participation in

decision makingProvide for members’ basic needs

CHARACTERISTICS OF HEALTHY POPULATIONS - 2

Provide access to resources and opportunities for interaction

Sustain a vital economy Maintain connectedness with their cultural

and biological heritages Provide governance structures that promote

health

CHARACTERISTICS OF HEALTHY POPULATIONS - 3

Provide appropriate and accessible services for all members

Display strong positive health indicators and low incidence of health problems

Displays the ability to adapt to changing conditions and circumstances

CHARACTERISTICS OF HEALTH POPULATIONS - 4 Create a shared vision for future

development Celebrate diversity among members Periodically assess needs and assets Create a sense of group responsibility and

belonging in members Deal effectively with conflict among

members

PUBLIC HEALTH PRACTICE

“What we, as a society, do to assure the

conditions in which people can be healthy.”

(Institute of Medicine, 1988).

CORE FUNCTIONS OFPUBLIC HEALTH

ASSESSMENT

POLICY DEVELOPMENT

ASSURANCE

DEFINING THE CORE FUNCTIONS

Assessment: monitoring the occurrence of

health-related problems within the

population as well as identifying factors that

contribute to, or prevent, those problems.

DEFINING THE CORE FUNCTIONS

Policy development: advocacy and

political action to develop local, state, and

national policies conducive to population

health.

DEFINING THE COREFUNCTIONS

Assurance: the responsibility of the public

health sector to assure availability of and

access to health care services essential to

sustain and improve the health of the

population.

OUTCOMES OF PUBLIC HEALTH PRACTICE

HEALTH PROMOTION

HEALTH PROTECTION

ILLNESS PREVENTION

DEGINING OUTCOMES OF PUBLIC HEALTH PRACTICE

Health promotion: activities designed to promote the overall health of the population, “a process of enabling individuals and communities to increase control over the determinants of health, partly through political actions, to create a healthier environment.” (World Health Organization, 1984).

DEFINING OUTCOMES OF PUBLIC HEALTH PRACTICE

Health protection: minimization of health

risks arising from the environment.

Illness prevention: activities designed to

prevent the occurrence of specific health

problems

LEVELS OF PREVENTION

PRIMARY PREVENTION

SECONDARY PREVENTION

TERTIARY PREVENTION

DEFINING THE LEVELS OF PREVENTION - 1

Primary prevention: Action taken prior to

the occurrence of health problems and

directed toward avoiding their occurrence.

Primary prevention includes health

promotion, health protection, and illness

prevention.

DEFINING THE LEVELSOF PREVENTION - 2

Secondary prevention: The early identification and treatment of existing health problems.

Tertiary prevention: Activity aimed at

returning the client to the highest level of

function and preventing further

deterioration in health.

CHANGES IN NATIONAL

OBJECTIVES - 1

Overall Goal 1990: Reduce mortality 2000: Increase the span of healthy life

Reduce disparities in health status among groups Achieve access to preventive health for all

2010: Increase quality and years of healthy life

Eliminate disparities in health status among

groups

CHANGES IN NATIONAL OBJECTIVES -2

Objective categories 1990: Preventive health objectives

Health protection objectives Health promotion objectives

2000: Health status objectives Risk reduction objectives Services and protection objectives

2010: Objectives promoting healthy behaviorsObjectives promoting healthy and safe communitiesObjectives to improve systems for personal and public healthObjectives to prevent and reduce diseases and disorders

CHANGES IN NATIONALOBJECTIVES - 3

Focus areas 1990: 15 priority areas designated 2000: 22 priority areas designated 2010: 28 focus areas designated

CHANGES IN NATIONAL OBJECTIVES - 4

Number of Objectives Addressed 1990: 226 objectives identified 2000: 319 objectives identified 2010: 467 objectives identified

CHANGES IN NATIONAL OBJECTIVES - 5

Other changes 2000: Lead agencies identified

Emphasis on quality of life as well

as longevity

Special attention to high-risk groups

Emphasis on access to services

Baseline data provided

CHANGES IN NATIONAL OBJECTIVES - 6

Other Changes (cont.) 2010: Widespread input in development

Designation of leading indicators

Single target for each objective

Included developmental objectives

Common structure for each focus area

Standard table for reporting progress

Figure 1–1 A Systematic Approach to Health Improvement

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2000). Healthy people 2010: Understanding and improving health (2nd ed.). Washington, DC: Author.