Community Health and Disease Prevention

Running Head: HEALTHCARE
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Community health and disease prevention
7/1/2019

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Contents
Introduction............................................................................................................... 2
Community participation and empowerment.......................................................................2
Part 1: Key strategies for implementing the health program engaging the community...................2
Part 2: Core domains of capacity building to support community empowerment in diabetes............4
Part 3: Models and approaches of health promotion for community.........................................5
Patient-centred care or approach..................................................................................5
Educational approach or self-care education....................................................................6
Perceived behaviour control theory............................................................................... 6
Health belief model.................................................................................................. 7
Conclusion................................................................................................................ 8
References................................................................................................................ 8

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Introduction
The report brings about the discussion on the aspect of community health and disease
prevention in context to the health care. The assignment will analyse various levels in the
community, facilitating the empowerment, for the perspective of fostering the empowerment.
Indigenous Australians are taken as the community, to discuss the aspects of preventable
health concern of ‘Diabetes’. Health programmes will be mentioned along with the strategies
and processes to reduce chronic illness. In addition, the core domains of the capacity building
will also be described in this assignment, leading to aspect of empowerment. The report, in
the later part, will enlist health promotion models, and approaches for chronic illness. The
advantages and disadvantages of these models and approaches will also be mentioned in the
assignment. Thus, the report will analyse the health issue of diabetes, and empowerment to
support patients and lead positive change in their health.
Community participation and empowerment
Community participation and empowerment refer to be the core principles guiding the
health promotion in the community. In context to the Australia, issue of type 2 diabetes is
generally an outcome of lack of exercise, and obesity. In the country, the population of the
‘Aboriginal and Torres strait Islanders’, are at major risk of developing type 2 diabetes, than
the other population. It has been analysed that Laverack’s ladder of community interaction
describes the framework describes the level, that starts from the readiness of community,
leading to the participation engagement, to organisation, and to capacity building,
undertaking collective action, and finally empowerment of the individuals (Nichols et al.,
2018).
Part 1: Key strategies for implementing the health program engaging the
community
The chronic illness, i.e. type 2 diabetes has now become a major health issue amongst
many cities and regions across Australia. This type of diabetes is recognised as a long-term
chronic disorder, which is characterised by raised levels of blood sugar, and resistance of
insulin. Accordingly, type 2 diabetes is found in indigenous is 3 to 4 times than the non-

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indigenous Australians. Diabetes, may even leads to the situation of death if not diagnosed
and treated on time. This acts to be the rationale behind selecting this group, as community
for implementation of health program. Moreover, it occurs at an early age in the people or
children in the indigenous group, so they require early diagnosis and treatment. Therefore, it
can be stated that type 2 diabetes affects Australians every year. From the Laverack’s ladder,
the level of participation and engagement of people determines the level of involvement in
the health programmes (Williams et al., 2016).
Indigenous Australians are living under the impact of chronic illness, such as diabetes,
and needs to be improved. Three strategies from the Laverack’s ladder will be illustrated in
context to the issue of diabetes for indigenous Australians. One strategy here can be, ‘lifestyle
and behavioural modification’. This is an important strategy for the individuals living with
the diabetes, to lead change in their health. Poor lifestyle is one of the major problems for
individuals affected by the chronic illness (Karimy et al., 2016).
Second strategy, in type 2 diabetes includes individual’s focus towards optimisation
of glycaemic control. Exercises on a regular basis can improve the peripheral insulin
sensitivity, as well as the level of insulin binding. Moreover, they also help in reducing
abdominal fat, and further impact in insulin-sensitive skeletal muscle, which further improves
the glycaemic control.
Changing the lifestyle, or food eating habits will facilitate the implementation of
health programmes for the concern i.e. Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP). Stakeholder
management acts as an important strategy to engage the community, i.e. indigenous
Australians in the health programs in respect to their illness. Diabetes self-management
education for the adults and women in indigenous population is a crucial strategy to engage
them for cure of diabetes (Williams et al., 2016).
Now, with the help of health institutions and community support, the health
promotion programmes can be implemented. The DPP participants are suggested to make
changes in their eating, i.e. lifestyle habits and engages into physical activity. According to
Laverack, encourage the community participation and empowerment strategies, and building
the capacity to deal with the chronic illness (Micha et al., 2017).