Toward a National Policy of Community Participation in Health Care
Community participation can be defined as an active involvement of citizens, social groups and/or the community in local decision-making processes. It is a vital element in the WHO’s 1948 constitution, which states: “Informed opinion and active cooperation on the part of the public are of the utmost importance in the improvement of the health of the people.”
Gaining a clearer view of the use of community participation in the US will be essential in informing the development of health policy. Lessons from community-driven projects can also facilitate the development of more responsive and efficient services, which is a high priority in the current economic climate.
“Toward a National Policy of Community Participation in Health Care” is an international symposium on community participation and health policy, organized in Washington D.C. by Sandrine Motamed, an Harkness and Careum Fellow.
- Program of the symposium (502 Ko,
)
- Video of the Event Highlights
- Photos of the symposium
Presentations
Experiences in community participation
- A case study of the United Kingdom (103 Ko,Susan B. Rifkin, London School of Economics)
- Experiences from a WHO collaborating center (1 692 Ko,Stephen Fawcett, University of Kansas and KU Work Group for Community Health and Development)
- Dan Hawkins, National Association of Community Health Centers
The role of community in improving its own health
- Maria Rosa Watson, The Primary Care Coalition of Montgomery County
- Walter Flores, Centro de Estudios para la Equidad y Gobernanza en los Sistemas de Salud (CEGSS)
The role of schools of public health
- A Swiss Experience (1 338 Ko,André Rougemont, University of Geneva)
- Experience of Japan (388 Ko,Hiko Tamashiro, Hokkaido University)
- Experience of the US (1 786 Ko,Richard Lichtenstein, University of Michigan School of Public Health)