Paper 4

Title page

Healthcare organization

Topic 2: Community mental health

1. Types of healthcare

The primary mental healthcare focus on offering general treatment and healthcare services to the patients. A patient of depression who visits the hospital for the first time is taking primary care because his previous data is available to the hospitals. Primary healthcare services are offered at a community center or hospital or clinics. The patients may receive psychotherapy or physiotherapy at the hospital CITATION WHO08 \l 1033 (WHO & Wonca, 2008). Primary care emphasizes on active participation of the patient and the family.

When the patients problems are complex they are referred for the secondary healthcare. This healthcare is not delivered by the community hospitals or clinics. The doctors or the healthcare providers examines the patients on the referrals made by the primary healthcare providers. When a person visits secondary healthcare provider, he will not need to share is medical history. Secondary healthcare providers already has acquired the medical history and issues of the patients. The example is individual counseling sessions taken by patients from a therapist. Occupational therapists offer services to the patients in secondary healthcare. Tertiary healthcare involve provision of specialized services to the patients. Common examples are managing growth disorders and performing trauma surgeries. The patients undergoing more complex situations are referred for tertiary care.

2. Personal vs. community consequences of drug abuse

Drug abuse can have detrimental impacts on the regular consumers at personal as well as community level. The impacts of drug can be long-lasting and permanent. The effect of drugs at personal level depends on the amount and of consumption and the regularity of taking drugs. People who are addicted to drugs and consume it more often face numerous side effects. The consequences of drug abuse include; lung disease, cancer, HIV, mental illness and Hepatitis. These are the long-term impacts of drug abuse. The short term impacts include; laziness, insomnia, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, lack of concentration and low motivation. Lack of decision making, short sightedness and negative moods are also impacts of drugs.

Drugs at community level can have negative socio-economic impacts. When youngsters watch adults taking drugs they are also influenced. Peers play significant role in promoting the use of drugs in the community. The prevalence of drug abuse in community also promote negative activities such as violence, rapes and other illicit behaviors CITATION WHO08 \l 1033 (WHO & Wonca, 2008).

3. Community self-help group

Community self-help group is focused on facilitating and empowering the society which is crucial for promotion of welfare. The agenda emphasize on offering mutual support to the people who are part of the community. Self-help groups are extremely important for dealing with the problems of drug abuse and mental illness. Every member of the community is offered equal help and support for helping them in their mental illness. They are encouraged to participate in community related activities which help them in overcoming mental issues CITATION WHO10 \l 1033 (WHO, 2010).

Self-help groups are effective in neighborhoods where people are lacking economic and moral support. Such as these groups are more practical among minority populations. Mutual support including funding, moral help have positive impacts on the life of the troubled community members. However self-help groups are effective only if they have access to financial funding. Without adequate financial resources they are unable to help the community. These groups are more effective in promoting mental health in the community by raising awareness. Microcredit programs is the prominent example of the successful role of self-help groups.

References

BIBLIOGRAPHY WHO. (2010). Community-Based Rehabilitation: CBR Guidelines. . World Health Organization.

WHO, & Wonca. (2008). What is primary care mental health? . Ment Health Fam Med, 5 (1), 9–13.