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Table of contents Introduction page2 Origins of community psychology page 2 Origins of public health page 2 Models of community psychology page 3 Models of public health page 3 Similarities and differences page 3&4 Conclusion page 4 References page 5
The aim of this assignment is to critically compare and contrast the community psychology and public health approaches to social problems by providing a basic understanding of both approaches and by providing similarities and differences between the two approaches. Duncan, Bownan, Naidoo, Pillay, & Roos (2007) define community psychology as “an emerging branch applied of psychology concerned with understanding people in the context of their communities using a variety of intervention(including prevention, health promotion & social action), to facilitate change and improved mental health and social conditions for individuals, groups & communities.” While public health is defined as “the science of protecting and improving the health of the community, as by preventive medicine, health education, control of communicable diseases, application of sanita measures and monitoring of environmental hazards (The American Heritage Medical Dictionary, 2007) from the above the definitions it is clear that there are certain similarities and differences between the 2 approaches, which will be discussed further.
Community psychology originates from mental reform movements in the in the United States of America. It began as a discipline in 1965 in Swampscott, Massachusetts. Community psychology first gained currency in South Africa in the 1980s. It came to be regarded as a panacea for lessening the sense of powerlessness felt in the face of apartheid. (Tutorial letter 102 PYC4811, 2013, pg. 3&4)
The public health movement 19th century England and America was stimulated by unhealthy social conditions in both industrialise urban and rural areas. It emerged as social action to combat
The aim of this assignment is to critically compare and contrast the community psychology and public health approaches to social problems by providing a basic understanding of both approaches and by providing similarities and differences between the two approaches. Duncan, Bownan, Naidoo, Pillay, & Roos (2007) define community psychology as “an emerging branch applied of psychology concerned with understanding people in the context of their communities using a variety of intervention(including prevention, health promotion & social action), to facilitate change and improved mental health and social conditions for individuals, groups & communities.” While public health is defined as “the science of protecting and improving the health of the community, as by preventive medicine, health education, control of communicable diseases, application of sanita measures and monitoring of environmental hazards (The American Heritage Medical Dictionary, 2007) from the above the definitions it is clear that there are certain similarities and differences between the 2 approaches, which will be discussed further.
Community psychology originates from mental reform movements in the in the United States of America. It began as a discipline in 1965 in Swampscott, Massachusetts. Community psychology first gained currency in South Africa in the 1980s. It came to be regarded as a panacea for lessening the sense of powerlessness felt in the face of apartheid. (Tutorial letter 102 PYC4811, 2013, pg. 3&4)
The public health movement 19th century England and America was stimulated by unhealthy social conditions in both industrialise urban and rural areas. It emerged as social action to combat
References: Duncan, W., Bownan, B., Naidoo, A., Pillay, J., & Roos V., (2007). Community Psychology Analysis, context and action. Cape Town. Uct press The American Heritage ® Medical Dictionary Copyright. (2007, 2004). Houghton Mifflin Company. Retrieved April 20 2013. http://www.medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/_/dict.aspx?word=publichealth Tutorial Letter 102, for PYC4811 (2013). Department of psychology, University of South Africa, Pretoria New perspectives in community psychology (1997). Pretoria: Unisa