Question

Select one of the following health care setting: hospital, community care, transitional care, Home care, and primary care. Describe theories and principles that should be incorporated within this setting and justify those selections with specific supporting examples. Consider the health care setting characteristics that would inform your decision making.

Answer 1

Primary health care:

Primary health care promotes health and wellness to prevent injuries and illness. It is not just providing health care services, but also helping people to stay healthy and well. It is an essential health care made universally accessible to individuals and acceptable to them through their full participation and at a cost the community and country can afford to maintain at every stage of their development in the spirit of self reliance and self determination.

Principles of primary health care:

• Accessibility
• Public and community participation
• Health promotion
• Appropriate use of technology
• Intersectoral collaboration

Accessibility: The primary health care services should be made available and affordable for the public and community. It should be provided equally to all individuals irrespective of the age, gender, race, ethnicity or location. The right of the patient is to receive comprehensive, compassionate, family and community centred care.

Public and community participation: All the community resources should be included while promoting health. The community is responsible for its own health.

Health promotion: The main goal is to promote health which strengthens the socioeconomic conditions of the community. The components of health are peace, shelter, education, food, income, resources, justice and equity. Health promotion should include in treating the person as a whole.

Appropriate use of technology: The use of technology should be within the reach of the public. It should be affordable, feasible and culturally acceptable by the individual and the community. It ensures effective and efficient delivery of services.

Intersectoral collaboration: The Government, organizations of other sectors are equally responsible in promoting health of a community. There should be a good partnership with the stake holders to develop services and programs according to the needs of the individual and community.