Hello and Welcome to Unit 4- Seminar Topic: Addressing Health Care in Communities Instructor- Adaeze Oguegbu

Addressing Health Care in Communities  Thoughts and Reflections from Previous Experiences

© 2010 Jones and Bartlett Publishers, LLC Addressing Health Care in Communities  Persons of color are in poorer health, lower life expectancy and have less access to health care than white Americans  Minorities (U.S. Department of Health) 6 areas  Infant mortality  Cancer screening  Cardiovascular disease  Diabetes  HIV, AIDS  Immunization

© 2010 Jones and Bartlett Publishers, LLC Addressing Health Care in Communities  Recommendations: Minority groups to participate in research Increase individual and community awareness Ensure access to quality health services Improve delivery of health services We need to engage communities in exploring and developing strategies to improve health care systems

Questions © 2010 Jones and Bartlett Publishers, LLC

Addressing Health Care in Communities  The Community Approach  Institute for Health Communities defines community as a subgroup of populations and organizations. Each intervention targets one specific subgroup.  Persons and organizations within a reasonably circumscribed geographic area in which there is a sense of independence and belonging.

How will you define Community?

Addressing Health Care in Communities  US department of Agriculture defines community as empowerment and enterprise zones  United Kingdom the Nuffield Institute for Health defines by the members of the communities and that they are made up of the networks and organizations that bind a group of individuals together © 2010 Jones and Bartlett Publishers, LLC

Questions!!!

© 2010 Jones and Bartlett Publishers, LLC Addressing Health Care in Communities  Sarason, Klein, and Stuart suggest that a community has to have these elements: Membership Common symbol system Shared values and norms Mutual influence Shared needs, commitment to meeting them Shared emotional connections Community

© 2010 Jones and Bartlett Publishers, LLC Addressing Health Care in Communities  The Need for Community Empowerment  Communities are able to demand justice, particular quality and responsiveness of services  Empowerment consist in strategies including community organization, community-based provision of services and community development.  Embodies an interactive process of change where institutions and communities become transformed as people participate in transforming them become transformed.

© 2010 Jones and Bartlett Publishers, LLC Addressing Health Care in Communities  The Need for Community Empowerment  Empowering minority communities have multiple challenges.  Significant barriers have negative effects in empowering communities:  Lack of economic access to health care  Barriers to hospitals, barriers to physicians  Discriminatory policies and practices  Lack of language and cultural competencies  Inadequate inclusion in healthcare research  Commercialization of health care  Disintegration of traditional medicine  Disparities in medical treatment

Questions!!!

Addressing Health Care in Communities  Barriers that limit empowerment :  Lack of trust  Lack of understanding  Feeling intimidated and inferior  Inability to see role as a real decision making process  Knowing the not welcome feelings, belief that participation in activities will be waste of time. © 2010 Jones and Bartlett Publishers, LLC

Addressing Health Care in Communities  History Clinics Foundations programs REACH Program : Empower for better health Bridging gaps Changing environment Mobilizing programs Interventions of behaviors

Addressing Health Care in Communities © 2010 Jones and Bartlett Publishers, LLC  Community Solutions to Health Disparities  Physician cultural competent  Capable of value diversity, conduct self assessment, manage dynamic differences, acquire and institutionalize cultural knowledge and adapt to diversity and cultural contexts of the communities to serve Overcome mistrust by creating community partnership Communication assessment and education Physician Education

Questions!!!

© 2010 Jones and Bartlett Publishers, LLC Addressing Health Care in Communities  Nebraska Community Network Language and cultural sensitivity Personnel hiring and training Communication and relationship building Sustainability  Give the community  TRUST, EMPOWERMENT, CULTURAL AND HISTORY. FOCUS, COMMUNITY INVESTEMENT AND EXPERTISE, TRUSTED ORGAIZATIONS, COMMUNITY LEADERS, OWNERSHIP, SUSTAINABILITY, HOPE

Questions or Final Thoughts