Community medicine

There are a lot of definitions of Community medicine. A who study group stated that since health problems vary from country to country, each country should formulate its own definition of community medicine in the light of its tradition geography and resources.

• According to WHO (1972) Community medicine is, “A system of delivery of comprehensive health care to the individual or family at the level of community by a health team in order to promote physical mental and social wellbeing.”

• The faculty of community medicine of the royal college of physicians(1972) has defined community medicine as-

            “That spacilaty which deals with population or groups rather than individual patient and comprises those doctors who try to measure the needs of the population, both sick and well, who plan and administer service to meet those who are engaged in research and teaching in the field”

• Community Medicine is a branch of medicine concerned with the health of populations.

• Community medicine is s branch of medicine that is concerned with the total health of the individual within the home environment and in the community, and with the application of comprehensive care.  

The emphasis in community medicine is on the early diagnosis of disease, the recognition of environmental and occupational hazards to good health, and the prevention of disease in the community.

 The Community Medicine specialist demonstrates skills in leadership, development of public policy, and the design, implementation and evaluation of health programs, and applies them to a broad range of community health issues.