Community and Health

Community and HealthA. Role of the communityTraditionally communities have placed great emphasis on caring for their members when they are ill.

Recently community's role in health maintenance and the prevention of disease has been an increased priority23. Communitys provision for health maintenance and the prevention includes:Protection of food, water and drug suppliesEstablishment of public health agencies for the supervision, prevention, and control of disease and illnessDevelopment of public education programsAwarding grants for health educationDevelopment of unemployment insurance program.3Establishment of workmens compensation insuranceEstablishment of DOH programs; establishment of social welfare services and Phil. health programsSupervision of health center programs

4B. Health agency as a social institution has:A bureaucratic structurePolicies, rules, and regulations governing behavior of its membersAn impersonal viewpointA status hierarchyAn increasingly specialized subculture5C. Hospitals as a subculture of the communityEmployees develop both written and unwritten hospital policies that:Set standards of acceptable behavior for both clients and staffRegulate the hospitalized clients contact with the primary group by limiting visitorsForce both clients and staff to relate to the secondary groupPunish unacceptable behavior by any members of the group including the client62. Folklores and folkways of the hospital serve to:Maintain the mystique of medicine by fostering the use of a unique language and system of symbolsAttach stigmas to various social illnesses such as AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, mental illness, drug addiction, and alcoholism, which are associated with certain patterns of living and acting that are not acceptable to the group7Perpetuate the roles and values of the health team members and maintain the status quo

Folklorecan be described as traditional art, literature, knowledge, and practices that are passed on in large part through oral communication and example.Folkways are standards of behavior that are socially approved but not morally significant. They are norms for everyday behavior that people follow for the sake of tradition or convenience.

Mores are strict norms that control moral and ethical behavior. Mores are norms based on definitions of right and wrong. Unlike folkways, mores are morally significant. People feel strongly about them and violating them typically results in disapproval.

Taboois a norm that society holds so strongly that violating it results in extreme disgust. Often times the violator of the taboo is considered unfit to live in that society.A law is a norm that is written down and enforced by an official law enforcement agency.93. Hospital has several functionsa. Direct function- to help the client regain health and resume a role in society by providing services directed toward:Treatment of illnessRehabilitationMaintenance of healthProtecting the clients legal rights

b. Indirect function: to help society by providing services directed toward:Education of health professionalsThe education of the general publicResearchD. Delivery of health services: responsibility of the communityMembers of the society become active participants in prevention of illnessCommunity-health centers care for the ill in the home rather than in the hospital.Extended care facilities are established with a more community and homelike atmosphere 4. Local community leaders take an active role in establishing health policy for society5. Lay members of the community become involved with health agencies policies and decisions6. Health maintenance and treatment are no longer considered a privilege, but the right of all members of society. 13