COMMUNITY STUDY GUIDELINE

KEY WORDS:
• Community Diagnosis, Community Profile, Community
Assessment, Community Analysis and Community Study.

• COMMUNITY DIAGNOSIS: Is a systematic process of obtaining

and documenting information to understand the community in
which one plans to work.
• It enables one to understand the community holistically.
 USES OF COMMUNITY PROFILE
• It is used in planning, implementation, monitoring and
evaluation of health and health-related programmes, and
projects for the community.
 COMPONENTS OF A COMMUNITY PROFILE
• GEOGRAPHICAL FEATURES:
- Type of community (Urban or Rural)
Location, Climate, vegetation
Natural resources
• HISTORY OF THE PEOPLE:
Migration, ethnicity/tribe, language(s)spoken
• DEMOGRAPHY: Population size, pattern and distribution
 COMPONENTS OF COMMUNITY PROFILE cont’d
• SOCIO-CULTURAL SET UP:
Religion and belief systems, governance structure
• ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES:
Livelihood, type of work, income levels
• SOCIAL SERVICES AVAILABLE: Education - Schools – type,
literacy levels, children of school-going age in schools, school
infrastructure etc.
• HEALTH FACILITY(IES): Type, services provided, utilization
levels.
 COMPONENTS OF COMMUNITY PROFILE cont’d
• RESOURCES: both natural and manmade including human resource.
• HOUSING: Type and materials used, state of the structures, the
layout
• ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE AND SANITATION:
Solid waste/Refuse collection and disposal system(s)
Toilet facilities and type
Source(s) of Water, supply system – regular or erratic
• COMMUNICATION: Road infrastructure, state of the roads –
motorable or immotorable
 COMPONENTS OF COMMUNITY PROFILE cont’d
• HEALTH:
Health and health-related needs – diseases and type
(communicable, non- communicable), contributory factors,
health behaviour and health seeking behaviours.
The general environment of the community
 METHODS USED IN COMMUNITY STUDY
It is a mixture of the following:
Surveys and Interviews
Interviews: Using structured and unstructured guidelines:
Key informant – one-on-one interview for specific people
within the community for specific information
Forum – larger group discussion
Focus Group Discussion
 METHODS USED Cont’d
Literature Review: reading about similar studies conducted by other
people and their findings which serves as a reference, a guide, basis
for comparing your findings etc.
SOURCES OF DATA:
– Chiefs and Elders of the community
– Opinion Leaders of the community
– Religious Leaders
– Geological Survey Department
– District Assemblies
– District Health Directorates
 SOURCES OF DATA
• Ghana Education Service
• Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Fisheries etc.
• Ministry of Science and Technology or Natural Resources etc
• Population Council
• Department of Community Development
• Local Government – District/Municipal/Metropolitan
Assemblies
• Ministry of Health
• Ghana Statistical Service
 SOURCES OF DATA cont’d
• Universities; if necessary
• Health Facilities (in and around or adjoining communities)
• International Sources – World Health Organization,
• FAO – Food and Agriculture Organization
 TYPES OF DATA
There are two main types of data that are collected; they are:
 Primary data – these are data collected through direct
interviews or surveys
 Secondary data – these are data extracted from already
existing documents or records
 DATA ANALYSIS AND REPORT WRITING
• This is done to derive the meaning out of the data collected.
• It gives the information needed which may be used for
decision-making essentially.
• Report is written based on findings from the analysis, and the
report should be comprehensive.
• A feedback is given to the community for their comments and
acceptance for use as a basis for planning and execution of
health and health-related projects and programmes for the
community with their full participation and involvement.
 COMMUNTIY ASSESSMENT
•Community System Assessment – This focuses on a
dimension of the community. For example, studying
only the socio-cultural belief systems of the people.

•Familiarization or Windshield Survey – It involves

studying already existing data on the community
and gathering a certain amount of first hand data in
order to inform oneself about the community.
 COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT cont’d
Problem Oriented Assessment of the Community –
• It is an assessment which focuses on a specific problem within
a community.
Comprehensive Community Assessment –
• This seeks to discover all relevant community health and
health-related information about the community
 SIGNIFICANCE OF COMMUNITY STUDY

• It is all encompassing study or assessment that

includes everything about the community from their
beginning till present.
• It helps the health worker to understand the way of life
of the community
 SIGNIFICANCE OF COMMUNITY STUDY
cont’d
The document or report so compiled serves as a
guide for Planning and Execution of responsive health and health
related programmes and projects for the community with the full
participation and involvement of the community and other
stakeholders.
 SIGNIFICANCE OF COMMUNITY STUDY
cont’d
• It facilitates advocacy work for the community which will in the
end contribute to overall development of the community.