Concept of the community

Community
 Community is a social unit (a group of living things) with commonality such as norms, religion,
values, customs, or identity.
 Communities may share a sense of place situated in a given geographical area (e.g. a country,
village, town, or neighborhood) or in virtual space through communication platforms.
 It is a group of living things sharing the same environment. They usually have shared interests. In
human communities, people have some of the same beliefs and needs, and this affects the
identity of the group and the people in it.
 Is a collection of people who interact with one another and whose common interests or
characteristics form the basis for a sense of unity or belonging. (Allender et al., 2009)
 A group of people who share something in common and interact with one another, who may
exhibit a commitment with one another and may share a geographic boundary. (Lundy and
Janes, 2009)
 A group of people who share common interests, who interact with each other, and who function
collectively within a defined social structure to address common concerns (Clark, 2008)
 Locality-based entity, composed of systems of formal organizations reflecting society’s
institutions, informal groups aggregates (Shuster and Goeppinger, 2008)

Aggregates are subgroups or sub populations that have some common characteristics or concerns.
Four defining attributes of a community (Maurer and Smith)
 People
 Place
 Interaction
 Common characteristics, interests, or goals.

Two main types of communities (Maurer and Smith)

1. Geopolitical communities
 the most traditionally recognized or imagined when considering the term community
 Are defined or formed by both natural and man-made boundaries and include barangays,
municipalities, cities, provinces, regions and nations
 Other commonly recognized geopolitical communities are congressional districts and
neighborhoods.
 Is Also called territorial communities
2. Phenomenological communities
 refer to relational, interactive groups, in which the place or setting is more abstract, and people
share a group perspective or identify based on culture, values, history, interests, and goals.
 Examples schools, colleges, universities, churches, mosques and various groups or organizations
 Can be described as functional communities

Types of Community

Rural Community
 Rural area or countryside is a geographic area that is located outside towns and cities. Typical
rural areas have a low population density and small settlements. Agricultural areas are
commonly rural, as are other types of areas such as forests.
 The areas located outside of cities and towns are termed “rural”. Rural areas have low
population density. Rural areas often have a lot of undeveloped land, farmland or forest
 People in rural areas have unique differences and challenges when it comes to economic and
community development and health. Rural areas often have fewer service providers and
resources for jobs, health care and community services.
 Rural communities often have fewer job opportunities and lower wages.
 Overall, rural residents are at greater risk for poor health outcomes, with higher rates of
preventable conditions such as obesity, diabetes and injury and higher rates of unhealthy
behaviors such as smoking, physical inactivity and poor nutrition.
Urban areas
 An urban area, or built-up area, is a human settlement with a high population density and
infrastructure of built environment. Urban areas are created through urbanization and are
categorized by urban morphology as cities, towns, conurbations or suburbs.
 Are locations with high population density.
 Urban areas are in cities and towns. An urban area is often the main area of employment.
 Urban areas have the most human-built structures. This built environment creates
opportunities for health such as sidewalks and public transit.
 The built environment also creates challenges to health such as sedentary commuting and air
quality.
 Many urban areas and their nearby communities that are socio-economically connected are
grouped together into metropolitan areas.

Suburban
 A suburb or suburban area is a mixed-use or residential area, existing either as part of a city or
urban area or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city.
 Areas are lower density areas that separate residential and commercial areas from one another.
 They are either part of a city or urban area, or exist as a separate residential community within
commuting distance of a city. As cars became the dominant way for people to get to work,
suburbs grew.
 Suburban communities tend to be the most affluent, enjoying the highest socioeconomic status
when ranked with rural and urban populations.
 Suburban communities often have more job opportunities than rural areas though maybe not as
many as urban areas.
 Overall, suburban residents seem to have better health than rural or inner city residents.
 People living in suburban communities tend to be more educated. Suburban residents are the
most likely to have adequate health insurance and benefit from longer life expectancy, more
access to health care and higher quality of care.
 People living in suburban areas often benefit from access to and choices for nutritious food,
spaces for physical activity and recreation, utilities such as water and sewer, health and dental
care, transportation and even digital telecommunications.

Determinants of Health and Disease

 Income and social status- higher income and social status are linked to better health. The
greater the gap between the richest and poorest people, the greater the differences in health.
 Education- low education levels are linked with poor health, more stress and lower self-
confidence.
 Physical environment – safe water and clean air, healthy workplaces, safe houses, communities
and roads all contribute to good health
 Employment and working conditions- - people in employment are healthier, particularly those
who have control over their working conditions
 Social support networks- greater support from families, friends and communities is linked to a
better health.
 Culture- customs and traditions, and the beliefs of the family and community all affect health.
 Genetics- inheritance plays a part in determining lifespan, healthiness, and the likelihood of
developing illnesses
 Personal behavior and coping skills- balanced eating, keeping active, smoking, drinking, and
how we deal with life’s stresses and challenges all affect health.
 Health services- access and use of services that prevent and treat disease influences health.
 Gender- men and women suffer from different types of diseases at different ages.