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Home >> Degrees >> Health & Nursing >> Community Health

Community Health Degree

Community health services include a number of various types of Nursing Degree">healthcare services including immunizations distribution, prenatal care, disease prevention, options for birth control, healthy cooking lessons, and family counseling. Public health services also fall within this category, and include everything from monitoring the environment to health inspection to health case provisions to public education. Depending upon the selected program and course of study, students may opt to pursue a certification, diploma or a degree. The community health field prepares health-related professionals for advanced practice in community and worksite settings.

The foundation of Community Health is the study of disease causation and prevention, population sciences, existing health issues, planning and administration of various health programs. Programs available within community health will prepare students to be entry-level health practitioners. Programs enhance clinical skills and knowledge, and promote career advancement in public health, management, sales, education, marketing, and research. Skills in health care management and social justice also provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the profession.

Curriculum for Community Health

A community health concentration educates students in the biologic and behavioral determinants of important public health problems in both developed and developing countries, while also acknowledging disease prevention strategies at the levels of communities and populations.
Students learn how the biological sciences and the social sciences (including psychology, sociology, and economics) can be applied in developing public health policies and in planning, implementing, and managing prevention programs. Curriculum will prepare students for providing front-line care and guidance to patients, and will assist in the qualification for positions available in clinics and hospitals. Studies will cover an array of topics and health-related issues affecting the general public community. Courses are offered within the areas of biology, human anatomy, physiology, and chemistry. Discussions review social and economic forces influencing health-related behavior and health, disease prevention, implementation, management, monitoring and evaluation of public health programs, as well as defining policies that can benefit the health of populations. The importance of community and public health in both developed and developing countries and the behavioral and biologic determinants of many diseases are also reviewed.

Career Opportunities in Community Health

Careers in community health offer numerous rewards, including making a difference in the lives of patients and populations, the intellectual challenge and continuous learning opportunities, attractive compensation and benefits, security and the ability to service patients on a local or global level. Unlike most other industries, the Healthcare Industry has grown and thrived despite any state in the economy, and is not dependent on the stock market.

The job outlook should be good for those interested in the community health services field. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 10 out of every 20 occupations are projected to grow the fastest in the health services field. Additionally, they report that the median annual earnings of public health professionals were $67,430 in May 2004. For more information, please visit the Bureau of Primary Health Care website at bphc.hrsa.gov. Although no position or salary can be guaranteed upon completion of studies, the increasing demand for community and public health professionals means that this career field will experience unprecedented growth in the coming decade.