An Introduction To Community Medicine (Basic Definitions)

Community Medicine Community Medicine is the new branch of medicine recently added with a concept to provide

health all of the community as it is the basic right of the community. Community Medicine may

be defined as;

“Community Medicine is a system of delivery of comprehensive health care to the people by a

health team in order to improve the health of community.” (WHO Definition)

“Community Medicine may be in other words, the science of application of technical knowledge

and skills to delivery of health care to a community, designed in collaboration with related

professions as well as human and social sciences on the one hand and community on the

other.”

Community Medicine is concerned with health and disease in a defined community with a goal

to mark out the health problems and needs of people in a community (community diagnosis)

and then to plan, implement and evaluate the effectiveness of health care system.

Let’s have a brief concept of some terms before going forward i-e Community, Medicine,

Health, Disease etc.

What Is Community? “The Community is a large number of individuals living together in defined geographical area

and having common interests, goals & ways of life.”

What Is Medicine? “Medicine is the branch of science that deals with diagnosis, treatment and maintenance of

health.”

What Is Comprehensive Health Care? “Comprehensive Health Care is the provision of personal & impersonal health services to the

community for the prevention of disease, cure of illness, prevents disability & economic

insecurity & dependency associated with illness.”

What Is Personal Health Services? “Personal Health Services are those which directly affect the health of individuals.” Examples

are provision of maternal and child health services, occupational health & school health

services etc.

What Is Impersonal Health Services? “Impersonal Health Services are those services which indirectly affect the health of individuals.”

Examples are provision of pure water supply, proper sanitation system, drainage & housing etc.

What Is Preventive Medicine? “Preventive Medicine is the science & art of preventing disease, prolonging life & promoting

physical & mental health and efficiency.”

What Is Science? “Science means to know.” It is concerned with knowing facts and principles.

What Is Art? “Art is the application of principles of science.”

What Is Social Medicine? “Social Medicine is the study of man in his total environment which may be physical, biological

& socio-economic environment respectively.”

What Is Health? “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely an absence

of disease or infirmity.”

It is the study of the relationship b/w variations in man’s environment.

Note: - Health is a fundamental human’s right.

What Is Disease? “Disease is the condition of the body or its some part or organ of the body in which its functions

are disturbed or deranged (Psychosocial/Psychological dysfunction).”

The following are included in the study of community medicine;

The Knowledge of Termed As

Population to be served Demography

Patterns of Health and disease Epidemiology

Collection, compilation and analysis of data Biostatistics

Behavioral factors and their effect on Health Behavioral sciences

Control and prevention of diseases Preventive Medicine

The food people eat Nutrition

Environmental factors and their effects on Health

Environmental Health

Delivery of Health Care Health Administration and Planning

What Is Illness? “Illness is the subjective state of the person who feels not being well.”

What Is Sickness? “Sickness is the state of social dysfunction.”

For detail study of each topic, please go to community medicine & click to find respective

details.

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