Introduction to

Community Medicine

DR.ABDIFATAH AHMED ABDULLAHI

MEDICAL DOCTOR
&
ACADEMIC LECTURER
 What is Community Medicine?

The study of health and disease in the population

of defined communities
in order to
identify their health needs, and to plan,
implement and evaluate health programs to
effectively meet these needs.
 What is Community Medicine?
• OR:
Specialty which deals with populations and
comprises those doctors who try to measure
the needs of the population, both sick and well,
who plan and administer services to meet those
needs,
and those who are engaged in research and
teaching in the field
(Faculty of Community Medicine of the Royal
College of Physicians)
 Community Medicine
• It is often considered synonymous with
preventive and social medicine, public health,
and community health. All these share
common ground, i.e. prevention of disease
and promotion of health
• Community medicine provides
comprehensive health services ranging from
preventive, promotive, curative, to
rehabilitative services.
 Economic &
social aspects of disease
• The relationship between environment and the ways of
living of man must be adjusted to eliminate disease .
• This require a coordinated progress in economic ,
cultural and social spheres, leading to better living
pattern .
• Epidemiological studies showed that physical and
social environment particularly sanitary environment
determine the occurrence of disease from place to
place.
• Maintenance of health require sufficient good
quality food, social security and domestic
stability which are to be provided by sectors
other than health.
• Poverty, poor housing and ignorance of mother
may determine death of a child more than his
current infection.
• The decline of communicable diseases in educated wealthier
countries followed better sanitary amenities as pure water supply,
safe disposal of human waste, adequate housing, good income i.e.
raised standard of living which entail a combined and integrated
efforts of doctors, engineers, economists, educationists, agriculturists
and others leading to balanced and continuous development.
• Health services must be provided as an integrated whole including
preventive, curative and promotive activities.
• Faulty habits of living are important factors in maintaining disease
in a community. The process of acquiring better habits is by
education of mothers.
• Real development must be for the people and by the people and
should be accompanied by education if it is to be sustained
• Development schemes must be balanced, prioritized and
accompanied by healthier environment otherwise new
problems will arise.
• The key factors of health status are control of population
growth, balanced development, education, raising
standard of living and the appropriate utilization of the
country’s resources.
• The growing population needs adequate food, more
employment which can be solved by improved and
mechanized mass agriculture and industrialization.
• This will lead to growing town and cities raising further
problem, therefore a comprehensive overall adjustment is
mandatory.
THANKS