Community health, also referred to as Public Health, is a growing area within the healthcare field. Community Health differs from other kinds of healthcare in that it targets entire populations rather than patient-by-patient; community health also focuses on prevention rather than cures.
Jobs in community health are concentrated mostly in government entities at the federal, state, and local/municipal level (e.g. Department of ... Health), and in non-profit agencies that provide health and human services. Encompassing aspects of health education, community-health workers design and implement programs that teach community members how to prevent disease and illness. This could include a city-wide anti-smoking poster campaign, nutritional pamphlets designed for public schools, or a free flu shot program based in a low-income neighborhood
Community health also takes into account the social factors that hinder our health. For instance, children who have no access to playgrounds might be shown to have a higher likelihood of being obese. It would be the job of a community health worker to advocate that a recreation site be built in a poor neighborhood. In this way, community health has as much to do with social and political issues as physical well-being.
Programs in community health are often offered at the bachelor's level, but an advanced degree, such as a Master of Public Health (MPH) or Master of Health Care Administration (M.H.A.), is key to career advancement in the field.
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