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Book Review
Community Health and Wellness: A Socioecological Approach
Anne McMurray
ISBN: 1-875867-61-5 1998 Mosby: Sydney
Bodil Rasmussen
Lecturer, Deakin University, Burwood Campus, VIC
The purpose of this book is to refocus the health professional's perspective and understanding of how health is produced within a community through a joint effort. The author aims to address the socioecological aspects of health by presenting an integrated model of influence, illustrated with practical applications. The book succeeds in doing exactly that. Anne McMurray has successfully provided health professionals with an excellent reference book. Compared to many other textbooks, this book has managed to capture Australian as well as international perspectives and trends within a wide range of issues.
The sustainability of health is used as an analytical thread throughout the book. It discusses contemporary issues such as developing a health focus for communities, community assessment, occupational health and safety issues, specific women's and men's health concerns; and factors affecting rural and remote communities, migrant and indigenous populations. Although the book takes a multidisciplinary approach, the discussions never lose focus on the individuals/communities concerned.
The book is divided into four main parts. The first part consists of studying community health, which gives the ecological perspective that conceptualises health as well as identifying the principles underpinning primary health care, community development and community assessment. It places epidemiology as a basis for understanding public health and determinants of health. The second part focuses on sustainability of health for the individual and family. It focuses on health determinants and risk factors that compromise health through the whole life span, from pregnancy to old age as well as focusing on health within families. The third part, 'healthy settings: promoting health' provides discussions on conceptual models for health education and promotion. The discussions evolve around the concept of 'place' and relate this concept to healthy school and work places. The fourth part provides a global approach to wellness as a community health issue. It discusses political, social, ethical and cultural issues related to health services. This overview of the health care system provides a good understanding for the following discussions linking research issues and policy making within the working community environment.
Each of the eighteen chapters has clearly identified objectives in their introduction. The 'learning trigger' questions, at the end of each chapter, make the book a very valuable textbook for nursing students at all levels, as well as different professionals. The questions provide a valuable tool for readers to assess their knowledge and also to guide them towards thinking critically about the issues and case studies described. Excellent illustrations support this learning process and assist the reader to understand and contextualise complex issues, such as the web of causation of risk factors for HIV infection (p.49). Epidemiology and research methodologies are presented in a very easily absorbed manner by focusing on case studies and consistently relating relevant international experiences. The author should also be congratulated on the well-referenced discussions.
The book is essential for novice practitioners within community services, as it presents the principles underpinning the fundamental aspects of working with the community, in a very easily read manner. This applies in particular to the first and second parts of the book, whilst the third and fourth parts are particularly useful for health professional directly involved in health education and research. Each chapter is finalised with a very valuable reference list, which directs the readers towards more in-depth readings. The comprehensive index makes it easy to utilise the book as a reference book for more experienced health professional and post-graduate students.
One principle within community education, which is emphasised throughout the book, is that people learn best when they enjoy themselves. This book provides a role model for learning while you enjoy!
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