By Leslie Doyle | 04/03/2025
What is community health? At its core, community health focuses on improving availability and access to quality healthcare and education, leading to healthier communities. People who can't access primary care, mental healthcare, and health education often face worse health outcomes.
Globally, roughly five million children under the age of five die each year, mostly from preventable and treatable diseases, according to the World Health Organization. Additionally, half of the world's population lacks basic healthcare.
Community health efforts can save lives, and they have a large role in bridging healthcare gaps, particularly for vulnerable populations. As part of its health equity programs, community health delivers non-clinical care directly to communities that need it most.
Community health workers (CHWs) serve as a vital connection between community members and the traditional healthcare system. Many people in underserved communities benefit from community health services, which include:
- Chronic disease prevention
- Promotion of healthy behaviors
- Mental health services
- Community resources such as health screenings and vaccinations
- Access to healthy food sources
- Personalized support for individual health issues
Community Health Challenges
Despite the benefits of community health programs, vulnerable populations, including people in urban areas and rural communities, face many health gaps. High insurance premiums are just one reason people may not have health insurance or go to the doctor for checkups.
Additional barriers to regular healthcare include:
- No transportation services or childcare
- The inability to take time off to go to the doctor
- Limited access to healthcare facilities due to patients living in rural or underserved areas
Healthcare in Minority Populations
Social and economic disparities significantly increase health risks for minority populations. When people can’t get safe housing, clean air and water, medical care, and other resources, they experience a greater number of health problems and a lower quality of life.
Black and Native Indian communities, for example, are disproportionately affected by higher rates of infant mortality, diabetes mortality, and cancer mortality. In addition, these disparities result in the increased use of emergency care, which drives up the cost of healthcare.
Factors in Environmental Health
Where you live and work has a major impact on your health and well-being. Environmental risk factors, including poor air quality, poor water quality, and a lack of access to stores offering healthy food, directly impact public health.
In low-income communities, substandard housing often contributes to higher rates of chronic illnesses. High asthma rates, for example, are linked to low-quality housing, proximity to polluted air, and limited access to specialized medical care.
Understanding Community Health
Community engagement is needed to promote health and prevent chronic disease. That’s why a large part of community health interventions involve building trust within local communities. It’s also helpful for community health workers to actively seek residents’ input on program development and tailor their services to meet local needs.
By developing relationships within the community, community-based organizations can:
- Identify pain points and barriers to healthcare
- Develop culturally relevant, targeted interventions
- Foster trust and ensure long-term program success
Community Health Professionals vs. Public Health Professionals
Community health focuses on outreach to a specific population while public health is focused on the community at large.
Public health professionals develop protocols and guidelines to protect against pandemics and other major health threats. They foster healthy living by sharing research on issues such as disease prevention and advancing health policies.
Public health agencies also track patient outcomes to measure the impact of their work on overall health. For example, as part of the Centers for Disease Control's (CDC) Environmental Public Health Tracking program, public health professionals gather and analyze health and environmental data to develop solutions that will improve public health.
By contrast, community health professionals address resource gaps in a specific neighborhood or region. They partner with local healthcare providers, civic groups, faith-based organizations, and other community-based initiatives to drive change. These community level efforts consider the voices of a wide range of people, including:
- Local politicians
- Teachers
- Religious leaders
- Social workers
- Volunteers
Reducing Health Disparities
Community health workers can support people by equipping them with the necessary tools, resources, and opportunities to enhance their own lives and surroundings. Empowering communities involves several strategies, such as:
- Providing quality education and skill development opportunities
- Promoting entrepreneurship through training and access to funds
- Developing affordable housing projects
- Involving the community in decision-making processes
- Implementing health and wellness programs tailored to community needs
“These efforts collectively aim to break the cycle of poverty, drive economic self-sufficiency, improve living conditions, foster a sense of agency, and enhance overall health outcomes,” says Dr. Samer Koutoubi, the Department Chair of Public Health at American Public University.
“Involving community members in the planning and implementation of health initiatives fosters a sense of ownership, builds trust, and creates an inclusive environment with a sense of ownership. This approach helps ensure that the initiatives are relevant and effective,” adds Dr. Koutoubi.
Community Engagement Ideas
To promote community engagement, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends focusing on these areas:
- Trust: Fostering trust and respect through face-to-face communication and joint decision making
- Accessibility: Making community health initiatives easy to access
- Contextualization: Engaging people in a way that is sensitive to the culture and languages of the community
- Equity: Considering equity as a key driver in bringing people together to find common ground
- Transparency: Sharing key updates and milestones with community members so they remain engaged in decision-making about healthcare services
- Autonomy: Fostering autonomous individuals who can advocate for change
Community Health Programs
Community health programs typically come in various forms, including:
- Establishing community health centers in low-income neighborhoods to make it easier for people to receive care
- Hiring bilingual public health workers to overcome language barriers and make patients from varied backgrounds feel more welcome
- Providing mobile healthcare such as cancer screenings to improve community health
- Offering education to residents about chronic disease management
- Expanding access to free or low-cost vaccination clinics
The Role of Community Health Workers
Healthcare professionals and healthcare organizations typically work closely with local residents to improve community health in the communities they serve, advocating for their needs and offering support to help overcome barriers to care. Whether they work on a paid or volunteer basis, community health workers play an integral role in extending resources to the patients who need their help.
Community health workers may offer various services such as translation services, counseling to promote healthy living and disease control, and access to grants or other programs to defray healthcare costs. Part of their role is to raise awareness about ways individuals can take control of their own health and better manage chronic conditions such as diabetes and heart disease.
The Soft Skills Needed by Community Health Workers
Working in community health requires various soft skills to effectively engage and foster positive relationships with community members. This important work requires strong interpersonal and problem-solving skills, being an active listener, and having cultural sensitivity.
“Strong communication skills are essential for building rapport with clients and conveying health information clearly,” says Dr. Koutoubi. “Empathy and compassion help build trust and improve health outcomes.
“Emotional resilience is also crucial for managing stress in challenging environments. Adaptability and flexibility are necessary for addressing diverse community needs.”
Community Health Success Stories
Community health initiatives are helping to support healthier communities in many creative ways. For example, one highly successful community program is the Healthy Hearts, Healthier Communities project. The National Association of Community Health Centers led this program to address social drivers of cardiovascular health. It tackles factors such as food insecurity, housing instability, disease prevention, and transportation barriers, which can lead to negative health outcomes.
Similarly, the National Institutes of Health's Community Engagement Alliance (CEAL) Against COVID-19 Disparities program funded health promotion, research, and outreach to strengthen COVID-19 vaccine confidence and access in communities of color. As a program participant, Boston Medical Center increased outreach in neighborhoods hardest hit by the pandemic to improve health outcomes.
Creating Permanent Improvements and Healthier Communities
“To positively impact people's overall health and well-being in a long-term, sustainable way, community health professionals can employ several methods,” says Dr. Koutoubi. “Educating the community about preventive care, healthy lifestyle choices, and available health resources empower individuals to take control of their health through workshops, seminars, and health fairs.
“Partnering with local organizations, schools, and businesses in public health initiatives will increase the availability of public health programs and provide additional resources and support. Lastly, working with representatives and policymakers to draft and implement policies that address the social determinant of health, including housing, employment, and education, will lead to a sustainable public health environment.”
- Nursing Degrees at American Public University
For adult learners interested in community health, health promotion, public health, or other areas of the healthcare field, American Public University offers a choice of degree programs:
- An online Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
- An online Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) with Nurse Leader and Nurse Educator concentrations
- An online Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) with a Community and Public Health Nursing concentration
- An online Master of Science in Nursing (RN to MSN) with Nurse Leader and Nurse Educator concentrations
- An online Master of Science in Nursing (RN to MSN) with a Community and Public Health Nursing concentration
These programs have received accreditation from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE®). This specialty accreditation ensures that these degree programs have been rigorously examined to ensure that they are held to high academic standards.
For more information on these degrees, visit APU’s nursing and health sciences degree program page.
CCNE is a registered trademark of the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
