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Teaching community health assessment skills in a problem-based format
1Department of Family Practice, State University of New York Health Science Center at Brooklyn, USA. psass@netmail.hscbklyn.edu
Summary
Physicians can improve community health services by understanding population health data. A family practice residency program trains residents in community health assessment, enhancing their skills in data analysis and population-based healthcare approaches.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Public Health
- Healthcare Management
Background:
- Understanding population health is crucial for physicians to develop targeted healthcare services.
- The family practice residency program at SUNY Downstate has utilized community health assessment since 1991.
- A problem-based learning format is employed for this training.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of a community health assessment rotation for family practice residents.
- To enhance residents' ability to understand and utilize population health data.
- To introduce residents to a population-based approach to healthcare.
Main Methods:
- Residents participate in a four-week rotation focused on community health assessment.
- Trainees gather, classify, and analyze demographic and health data for a local population.
- Residents use collected data and research literature to calculate health rates.
Main Results:
- Residents gain comfort and proficiency in working with health rates.
- Trainees develop an understanding of the utility and limitations of health rates.
- The rotation successfully introduces residents to population health concepts.
Conclusions:
- The community health assessment rotation equips residents with essential skills for population-based healthcare.
- Physicians trained in this program can better address community health needs.
- This educational model fosters a deeper understanding of population health's role in medical practice.