Community Action Plan: Problems Facing The Community

Community Action Planproblems Facing The Community And The Action Pla

Community Action Planproblems Facing The Community And The Action Pla

Problems facing the community and proposed action plan

The primary challenges confronting the community revolve around deficiencies in the healthcare system, including poor healthcare delivery, workforce shortages, an aging population, unqualified healthcare providers, and high rates of uninsurance and underinsurance among community members. Additionally, neglected public health insurance plans, inadequate infrastructure, limited healthcare facilities relative to the population size, and inaccessibility to health services exacerbate these issues.

To address these problems, a comprehensive community action plan must be developed. This plan begins with a needs assessment utilizing questionnaires, interviews, and environmental observation to identify the core health needs of community members. Following this assessment, specific goals and objectives should be formulated, integrating the community’s identified health priorities into strategic initiatives.

Creating awareness is essential; community campaigns, educational programs, and outreach efforts can promote health literacy and encourage healthy lifestyles. Responsibility for executing these initiatives can be distributed among local government officials, healthcare providers, youth groups, teachers, elders, and community leaders. For example, youth can organize roadshows, while local media can assist in disseminating information via mainstream and digital channels.

Securing funding is vital for sustainability. The community leadership should seek financial support from government agencies—local, state, and federal—as well as non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and donors. Establishing partnerships and mobilizing community resources through fundraising activities can also contribute to funding efforts.

Implementation involves consistent outreach efforts such as weekly community roadshows and health education sessions, lasting several months. These initiatives should highlight the importance of regular medical checkups, healthy living, and maintaining a clean environment. Schools can incorporate health education into their curriculum, and new health facilities should be constructed where needed. Infrastructure improvements, including safe roads and communication systems, are crucial to improving access to healthcare services.

Evaluation of the action plan’s effectiveness requires ongoing feedback through questionnaires, interviews, and observation. Tracking community participation, health check-up attendance, and response to awareness programs provides insights into progress. Partnerships should be assessed for sustainability, and community responsiveness should guide future iterations of health initiatives. Engagement with local government officials to secure ongoing funding and support is also essential for long-term success.

References

• Beef magazine (2009). Top 10 rural issues for health care reform. Retrieved from http://beefmagazine.com/health/0514-rural-issues-health-care
• Kaiser Commission (2010). Community Health Centers: Opportunities and Challenges of Health Reform. Retrieved from http://www.kff.org/healthreform/8080.cfm
• Murphy, F. (2013). Community engagement, organization, and development for public health practice. New York, NY: Springer.
• Coyle, S. (2011). Sustainable and resilient communities: A comprehensive action plan for towns, cities, and regions. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
• European Commission. (2008). Programme of Community action in the field of public health: Projects funded under the call for proposals 2006. Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities.
• World Health Organization. (2016). Framework for health systems strengthening. WHO Press.
• United States Department of Health and Human Services. (2019). Healthy people 2020: Nation’s health objectives. HHS Publication.
• Nichols, K., & Eddie, D. (2014). Community health assessment and improvement planning. Journal of Public Health Management and Practice, 20(4), 356–363.
• Gordon, P., & Adams, R. (2018). Infrastructure development and health access: A review. International Journal of Health Planning and Management, 33(2), 426–436.
• Smith, J., & Lee, A. (2015). Strategies for effective health promotion in rural communities. American Journal of Public Health, 105(4), 747–753.