How Can Community Based HealthCare Help
Community Based HealthCare programs can provide access to quality health care to low-income and underserved residents. These programs educate residents about preventive health care, provide essential services, and help people enroll in insurance. They also work to reduce the need for costly emergency care and advocate for better care of vulnerable populations.
Examples of community-based health care
Community-based health care Resilient Wellness is a system of health care that is tailored to the needs of local populations. This model often involves leveraging resources from the local community and relies on non-medical interventions such as prevention and education. Examples of community-based health care include mobile health clinics, blood drives, and health fairs.
In addition to providing primary health care, community-based health care can also address other health issues such as mental health and developmental disorders. For example, community-based services can also focus on care for the elderly and vulnerable populations. These programs can also provide palliative care.
Goals of community-based health care
A community-based health care model can help reach underserved populations. For instance, it can help those in low-income urban neighborhoods. It can also reach people who live in rural areas and are not well-served by mainstream health care systems. Some of these populations include immigrants, commercial sex workers, and people who use injecting drugs.
Community-based health workers feel more ownership over data collected in their communities, which allows them to respond to community needs. This is in contrast to centralized data collection and interpretation.
Impact of community-based health care on global health
Community-based health care is an essential part of health systems. A growing commitment to universal health coverage has revived enthusiasm for CHWs. However, donor financing and programme architecture still focus on narrow interventions that are similar to post-Alma Ata experiences. By using a holistic approach, CHWs can enhance health systems beyond vertical interventions. For example, the non-governmental organisation Partners In Health has been working with over 13 000 CHW colleagues in ten countries to improve health equity and access to health services.
In rural Senegal, community-based health insurance schemes have improved access to health care. In Uganda, Katabarwa, M. N., and colleagues enhanced community-directed treatment of ivermectin using the traditional kinship system. These strategies are practical in low-resource communities and have the potential to increase community-level health care.
Ways to start a community-based health care program
Community-based health care services can reach hard-to-reach populations in the community. These communities include the urban and peri-urban poor. By working to address the needs of this population, community-based health services can provide a variety of health benefits. Listed below are several ways to start a community-based health care program.
Community-based health services can provide HIV testing and HIV maintenance through antiretroviral treatment, if needed. These services will need to be as diverse and tailored as the populations they serve. For example, women with social restrictions might want to access HIV testing in a discreet setting.