LOCAL LITERATURE
Despite little consensus about the role and its effectiveness, health care providers are promoted as a mechanism to increase community involvement in health promotion efforts.
The major public health priorities are the discrepancy in access to healthcare services and the resulting adverse health outcomes. The need for strategies to improve access to healthcare services and to support the improvement of health outcomes were recognized by the Institute of Medicine and the Department of Health and Human Services. Health disparities associated with healthcare access and health outcomes from a geographic perspective were documented in the literature. The important factors in the analysis of health are the place of residence, location of healthcare services, and geography in general.
Only a few good quality higher level studies have been conducted even though there is some evidence to establish the benefits of community participation in producing health and health related outcomes, Few, if any, studies have ultimately reveal that community participation provides better health outcomes than no community participation in the same conditions. However, extra attention to the analysis and reporting of the community participation aspect of primary health care and public health interventions is warranted, as absence of evidence of an effect is not the same as absence of an effect. Comparative studies, longitudinal studies as well as randomized controlled trials can improve analysis of community participation.
Tools to measure and analyze it as a collective phenomenon are required in achieving further clarity about the benefits of community participation. To date there has been less interest in this than in measuring more real...
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... social control in health outcomes is beginning to be more thoroughly explored in epidemiological studies (Wallerstein 1993).
Health seeking behavior was affected by social factors, such as the cultural perception of disease causality, equally, therefore patterns of health care use. Providing information in one’s own language, ensuring culturally appropriate care or supporting community networks for prevention and follow up of illness are all important factors in access to care, even though health infrastructures are available, (EQUINET, 1998).
Health sector performance and health outcomes in health promotion programs that depend on behavioral or social change, as well as where the management of disease demands community inputs such as case finding, partner notification or treatment compliance were influenced by the social participation .(Bermejo and Bekui 1993).
Wilkinson, R. M. (2003). Social determinants of health - the solid facts. [S.l.]: World Health Organization.
...an, P., Egerter, S., & Williams, D. R. (2011). The social determinants of health: coming
Wilkinson, R.G. & Marmot, M.G. 2003, Social determinants of health: the solid facts, World Health Organization.
Maton, K. I. (2008). Empowering community settings: Agents of individual development, community betterment, and positive social change. American Journal of Community Psychology, 41(1-2), 4-21.
The disparities in the healthcare system contribute to the overall health status disparities that affect ethnic and racial minorities. The sources of ethnic and racial healthcare disparities include cultural barriers, geography differences, or healthcare provider stereotyping. In addition, difficulties in communication between health care providers and patients, lack of access to healthcare providers, and lack of access to adequate health care coverage
Nies, M.A. & McEwan, M. (2015). Health a community view. In Community/public health nursing: promoting the health of populations (6th ed.) (p. 1). St. Louis, Missouri: Elsevier.
Richard G. Wilkinson, M. G. (2003). The Social Determinants of Health: The Solid Facts. Denmark: World Health Organization.
Marmot in his famous article titled Social Determinants of Health Inequalities firmly stated that actions targeted to improve healthcare access should not be focused only on healthcare system but rather on the social determinants of health. Marmot reiterated that health inequalities, disparities and social determinants of health are totally preventable through more inclusive wider social policies. He insists that inequalities of health between and within geographical areas can be reduced through positive actions.3 And such actions should be focused towards improving the social determinants of health in all areas to give everyone equal access to healthcare services.2-3 Explaining that lack of healthcare access are driven by SDOH, Marmot further argues that health cannot be improved by itself alone, but by enhancing those factors that determine health.
Social determinants of health have attracted the attention of governments, policy makers and international health organisations over the last three decades (Hankivsky & Christoffersen 2008). This is because social conditions which people are born in, live and work play an important role in their health outcomes (WHO 2015). According to Kibesh (1200) social determinants drive health disparities, disrupts the human developmental process and undermine the quality of life and opportunities for people and families (ref). Thus, several theories have been developed over the years to provide in-depth understanding of the social determinants of health and to reduce health inequalities (Hankivsky & Christoffersen, 2008). However, there is still significant
When one thinks of health, we think of our physical well-being, we think of the medicines we have to take to ensure our recovery in cases of illness, we think white-washed halls, doctors, nurses, candy stripers in their hospital clothes, we think vegetables and fruit juice, and the rest of that wellness-junk that the television infomercials make us buy, we think of sickness, we think of death, we think of life. We do not, or rarely, think of the underlying sociological implications of health and illness, through which we unknowingly dictate our actions, and through which our health manoeuvres through. Beyond the biological and natural conditions, through which our health is dictated, are the sociological factors affecting our wellbeing. It has been shown that the spread of diseases is heavily influenced by culture and tradition, and clearly, our socioeconomic statuses. Health therefore is much more than just an amalgamation of biological factors, but it extends to more socially-constructed sectors of our beings. And all these factors tend to procure inequalities.
To reach a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing, 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 for everyday life, not the objective of living. Health is a positive concept emphasizing social and personal resources, as well as physical capacities. Therefore, health promotion is not just the responsibility of the health sector, but goes beyond healthy life-styles to wellbeing. Health promotion goes beyond health care. It puts health on the agenda of policy makers in all sectors and at all levels. It directs policy makers to be aware of the health consequences of their decisions and accept their responsibilities for
A wide variety of community, individual and national factors determine the delivery of health.2 There is a growing number of evidence on inequalities in both accessing of health and the distribution ...
The organizational or institutional level considers the day to day interactions that individuals and communities have with social institutions or organizations, and how characteristics of these can be used towards promoting behavioral changes 12. Organizations can refer to local schools, universities, workplaces, or larger entities such as companies and international organizations12. The cultures and values promoted or enforced by them can shape their member's lifestyles12. Certain organizations can also help spread health promotion messages throughout the communities they have influence on. Researchers studying health communication during Ebola outbreaks, assessed the role played by community and faith-based organizations
Cohen, B. (2012). Population health promotion models and strategies. In L. Stamler & L. Yiu
social marketing and targeted media public communication; providing accessible health information resources at community levels; active collaboration with personal health care providers to reinforce health promotion