March 28, 2024

Can I Work in Community Health Sector with a Healthcare Management Degree?

What is Community Health?

Community health (a field of public health) involves the study and improvement of the health characteristics of biological communities. Community health focuses on geographical areas rather than individual people with shared characteristics and is influenced by characteristics of social demographics. It is studied by:

  • Primary Healthcare focusing on interventions to improve health of individuals and families
  • Secondary Healthcare focusing on environmental factors influencing health
  • Tertiary Healthcare is intervention in a Healthcare setting

What is a Community Health Workers?

Although community health workers do not work directly with patients in clinical settings, they help to assess the need for health education and develop educational materials and proposals to help promote positive behavior in community, family and individual health. They work to collect and analyze data by demography, establish health screenings and find funding for health programs. Community health professionals will educate the public on healthy habits and lifestyles for positive changes in their communities. Community health professionals help to reform behaviors and policies within the public by combining medical principles with health education.

What Are Areas of Employment For Those Pursuing Careers in Community Health Roles?

One of the most commonly pursed career paths for community health professionals is a childhood or public health educators. Other areas of employment can include careers as research coordinators, public health inspectors, epidemiologists and wellness coordinators. Community health roles can be found within public health organizations, hospitals, universities, government agencies and the private sector of companies. Regardless of role or work environment, all community health science careers involve reforming public behaviors and policies by merging medical principles with health education.

What degree should I pursue to enter a career in Community Health?

  • Master of Public Health (MPH) with a Community Health Education Concentration
  • Master of Health Administration (MHA) in Healthcare Leadership
  • Master of Health Administration (MHA) in Community Health
  • Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Concentration in Community Health Nursing
  • Master of Science in Community Health (MSCH)

Studies will address general health care topics such as ethics, policy development and organizational structures, as well as community health topics including public health assessment methods, environmental health, community health program coordination and public health law.

What is the Employment Outlook for Careers in Community Health?

According to the US Bureau of Labor and Statistics the future employment of health educators and community health workers is projected to increase twenty one percent from 2012 to 2022, which is considerably faster than the average for all occupations. This rising growth is being driven by efforts to improve health outcomes while attempting to reduce current healthcare costs by educating the public about healthy habits, behaviors and by utilizing available health care services.

What are some of the responsibility of a Community Health Worker?

Some of the roles and responsibilities of a community health worker may include:

  • Assisting individuals, families and communities in access to resources such as health insurance, food, housing, and quality healthcare and health information
  • Instituting positive communication and interaction with their Healthcare system
  • Helping communities to become sensitive to the cultural needs of their specific population and their Healthcare and social service needs
  • Develop strategy to improve health condition to improve health of the communities they serve
  • Supporting healthier behavior and lifestyle
  • Delivery of health information to the public
  • Allowing easy access of healthcare and social services to the community
  • Access of Healthcare service

What is the salary range for those working in Community Health

Although the salary range for those working in Community Health is generally based on the individual’s educational level and previous experience, starting salaries are $41,830 per year and top 10 percent earned more than $86,810 per year.