• Give a working definition of community health education theory.
• Explain how community health education theory is different from other types of theories used in public health.

 

Community health education theory is a course that examines personal, social, and environmental factors that influence health-related behaviors as well as the role of individuals, groups, institutions, societal structures, and policy in encouraging and discouraging healthy behaviors.

Community health education theory is different from other types of theories used in public health because  between the two fields lies in their respective focuses whereby public health focuses on the scientific process of preventing infectious diseases, while community health focuses more on the overall contributors to a population's physical and mental health. Another difference is that the community health includes a dimension of deliberately involving the community in health decision-making. For example, primary health care structures managed by community-selected and supported health committees; community advocacy groups for adolescent rights and health; community organised conflict resolution; implication of traditional health systems (traditional healers, birth attendants, health "aunties" and so on). The community as guardian and primary actor in preserving and ensuring health of its members is a key framework for community health programs.

Step-by-step explanation

Therefore community health education theory promotes working at the community level so as to promote healthy living and brings the greatest health benefits to the greatest number of people. It also helps to reduce health gaps caused by differences in income, education, race and ethnicity, location and other factors that can affect health.