Community treatment and organization – This book covers the entire syllabus of “Community Health Nursing” prescribed by the Universities of Bangladesh- for Basic and diploma nursing students. We tried to accommodate latest information and topics.
This book is examination friendly setup according to the teachers’ lectures and examination’s questions. At the end of the book previous university questions are given. We hope in touch with the book students’ knowledge will be upgraded and flourished. The unique way of presentation may make your reading of the book a pleasurable experience.
Community treatment and organization
Definition of Community treatment
Community treatment or community health action’ is the sum of steps decided upon to meet the health needs of the community taking into account the resources available and the wishes of the people, as revealed by community diagnosis.
Example of community treatment:
- Improvement of water supplies
- Immunization
- Health education
- Control of specific diseases
- Health legislation
Levels of action in community treatment
There are 3 levels of action –
1. at the level of the individual
2. at the level of the family, and
3. at the level of the community.
Characteristics of a programme of community treatment
1. It must effectively utilize all the available resources.
2. It must coordinate the efforts of all other agencies in the community (intersectoral coordination).
3. It must encourage the full participation of the community in the programme.
Role of PHC in community diagnosis and treatment
One of the principles of Primary Health Care (PHC) is, community participation, i.e., active participation by the individual, family and community in promotion of their own health. If the local community actively involved in health care services community diagnosis and treatment become easy to implement.
Community organization
Community organization covers a series of activities at the community level aimed at bringing about desired improvement in the social well-being of individuals, groups and neighborhoods.
Or
The United Nations in 1955 considered community organization as complementary to community development. United Nations assumed that community development is operative in underdeveloped communities and community organization is operative in areas in where levels of living are relatively high and social services relatively well developed, but in where a greater degree of integration and community initiative is recognized as desirable.
Or
Community organization refers to social work concentrating upon the organized development of community social welfare through coordination of public and private agencies.
Developmental phase of community organization
Historical development of community organization is divided into 4 phases:
1. First Phase (1880-1920): During this period the community work was mainly seen as a method of social work. It was considered as a process of helping the individuals to enhance their social adjustments. It acted as major player to co-ordinate the work of voluntary agencies.
2. Second phase (1920-1950): This period saw the emergence of new ways of dealing with social issues and problems. The community organization was closely associated with central and state Govt.’s program for urban development. The important development in this period was its association with community association movement.
3. Third phase (1950 onwards): it emerged as a reaction to the neighborhood idea, which provided an ideological phase for the second phase. It was period were the professional development of social work took place. Understanding the shortcomings in the existing system, it was a period where the social workers sought for a professional identity.
4. Fourth phase: It is the ongoing period that has marked a significant involvement community action. It question of the questioned the very relationship of the community work and social work. It was thus seen as period of radical social movement and we could see the conflicts of community with authority. The association of social workers and the community are de professionalized during this period. Thus it was during this period the conflictual strategies that were introduced in the community work.
Principles of community organizations
Principles are expressions of value judgments. It is the generalized guiding rules for a sound practice. Principles of community organization and grouped those under seven headings. They are:
1. Democracy and social welfare;
2. Community roots for community programs;
3. Citizen understanding, support, and participation and professional service;
4. Co-operation;
5. Social Welfare Programs;
6. Adequacy, distribution, and organization of social welfare services; and
7. Prevention.
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