FACTORS AFFECTING
COMMUNITY HEALTH
FACTORS AFFECTING COMMUNITY HEALTH
CAN BE GROUPED INTO:
∆ Physical Factors
∆ Social/Cultural Factors
∆ Community Organization
∆ Individual Behavior
PHYSICAL FACTORS
► INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT:
Communities that are industrially developed are more
likely to be affected by numerous diseases due to the
toxic waste products from the industries that are
released into water bodies and the atmosphere and due
to congestion of settlement leading to slum
development hence contagious disease compared to
areas that are not industrially developed.
AIR POLLUTION
PHYSICAL FACTORS
► COMMUNITY SIZE:
A densely populated or over populated community can
easily be attacked by communicable diseases.
OVERCROWDING
PHYSICAL FACTORS
► GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION :
Some communities are more prone to diseases due to the geographical
location.
FOR EXAMPLE:
▲ Some communities are located in swampy areas ARE MORE PRONE
TO DISEASES especially during heavy rains they are affected by floods
which can lead
a. Manipulation of disease causing organisms if the water is stagnant
b. To spread of disease causing organisms
FOR EXAMPLE: MALARIA, DIARRHEA DISEASE
PHYSICAL FACTORS
► ENVIRONMENT:
A clean environment is very vital to the proper
health of a community which minimizes the
occurrence and transmission of diseases, unlike
a dirty environment which easily leads to
outbreak of diseases.
SOCIAL/CULTURAL FACTORS
► TRADITIONS BELIEFS:
Beliefs or traditions possessed by communities greatly
affect the health of it’s people
For example: FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION
(FGM)
FGM
Why is it practiced?
Reasons given include:
■ Control over women’s sexuality
■ Hygiene
■ Gender based factors (removal of “male” parts)
■ Cultural Identity
■ Religion
SOCIAL/CULTURAL FACTORS
► ECONOMY: A community that is economically well off has
low chances of suffering from disease breakouts because they have
proper health care and water drainage systems unlike a poor
community.
►GOVERNMENT: Since the government involves planning,
implementing and provision of community services such as water
supply, medical supplies an other needs which can directly affect the
community health.
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION
Ways in which communities organize their resources
such as taxes which can be very helpful in control of diseases
and supply of sufficient and efficient medical care even in
times of crisis unlike communities without proper
accountability of their taxes which can partly be allocated to
the health sector.
EDUCATIONAL FACTORS
Poor education or illiteracy affects the health of a
community when people doesn’t have education on how they can
prevent themselves from diseases.
For example:
Health education on the use of mosquito treated nets to prevent
malaria.
Health education on the environmental hygiene so as to prevent
diseases such as cholera and trachoma.
INDIVIDUAL BEHAVIOR
Community health is greatly influenced by
individuals, their personal health, habits, etc. and in order to
achieve a healthy community, it takes a team work.
For instance, proper disposal of waste products
from and individuals compound, clearing all stagnant water in
the compound to prevent harboring of mosquitoes, active
smokers to quit smoking to avoid passive smokers thus
preventing lung cancer, abstinence from sexual activities and
for sexually active individuals to use protection to prevent the
spread of HIV/AIDS and STDs etc. Thus proper individual
healthy living can greatly promote a healthy community.
