Community and Population Health Concepts

Week 1

Social determinants of health

Conditions of birth that have an impact on health, functioning, and
quality of life

Commision on Social Determinants of Health

3 overarching recommendations:
1) Improve daily living conditions;
2) Address the inequitable distribution of power, money, and other resources
3) Measure the problem and evaluate outcomes of intervention

Leading Health Indicators

23 high-priority core objectives selected to drive action toward improving health and well-being

Public Health

The critical functions of state and local health departments, such as preventing epidemics, containing environmental hazards, and encouraging healthy behaviors

Population Health

Broader determinants of health such as education, poverty, and health
care-collaborative, interdisciplinary approach

Epidemiology

Distribution, frequencies, and determinants of disease, injury, and disability

Incidence

Number of new cases of disease, injury, or disability

Prevalence

Total number of cases of disease, injury, or disability in a community, city, state, or nation existing at one point in time

Risk Factors

Things that increase an individual’s or population’s vulnerability to disease, disability or injury
Modifiable and non-modifiable
This is where we will discover interventions!

Resiliency Factors

precursors that appear to increase resistance to developing a disease or disability or sustaining an injury

Community Health and Interventions

Educational, social, and environmental supports targeting behaviors to increase health
Modify norms and behaviors

Health promotion

Combination of educational, political, regulatory, environmental, and organizational supports for actions and conditions of living

Health Prevention

Actions to reduce possibility or to minimize damage
We use these to enhance community and population health!

Levels of Prevention

Primary

Secondary

Tertiary

Primary Prevention

Preventing problems before symptoms appear

Secondary Prevention

Early identification of asymptomatic disease to initiate treatment or cure

Tertiary Prevention

Aimed at slowing the progression of confirmed disease

Community Centered Practice Framework

1. Community Identity

2. Community resources and barriers

3. Community occupations

4. participation enablement

Role of OT in Community health

Promote healthy lifestyles for all!

Infuse occupation into existing health promotion programs and activities

Develop and implement occupation-based community and population
health promotion interventions, targeting a variety of constituencies,
including individuals (both with and without disabilities), groups,
organizations, communities, populations, and governmental policies.

Goals of OT Health Promotion and Prevention

• Prevent or reduce the incidence of illness or disease, accidents, injuries, and disabilities in the population.

• Reduce health disparities among racial and ethnic minorities and other underserved populations

• Enhance mental health, resiliency, and quality of life

• Prevent secondary conditions and improve the overall health and well-being of people with chronic conditions or disabilities and their caregivers..

• Promote healthy living practices, social participation, occupational justice, and healthy communities, with respect for cross-cultural issues and concerns