Community Health Education (CHE)

THREE CHE (Pronounced “Chay”) SYSTEMS: 1. CHE (Community Health Education).  2. CHE&S (CHE+Health Screening). 3. CHE&S+Church/Community Health Fairs.

OVERVIEW (3 Safe & Highly Effective Evidence-Based Systems for Congregations, Communities and Short-Term Medical Missions):
1. The WHO has long emphasized the importance of “primary prevention and health promotion in preventing up to 70% of the disease burden.”
2. All 3 systems are based on the Health Promotion & Prevention (HP&P) /Primary Care System developed by missionary researchers in the 1960s, adopted by WHO’s Declaration of Alma-Ata1978 (co-authored by a Christian Missionary) and reconfirmed in WHO’s Primary Health Care-Now more than ever2008 and Declaration of Astana2018
3. All 3 systems have been utilized by churches and other Faith-Based Organizations (FBOs) in collaboration with Ministries of Health since the 1960’s (For examples see Best Practices in Global Health Missions Church & Healthcare  and Health promotion & education).
4. Each is based on WHO Biblically-based International Standard & Guideline (IS&G) systems that have received WHO’s highest possible evidence-based rating for effectiveness: See above references and WHO’s Interventions on Diet & Physical Activity-WHAT WORKS
5. All 3 systems meet the requirements of WHO’s Building From Common Foundations-The WHO & Faith-Based Organizations in Primary Healthcare and WHO QOL: Spirituality, Religiousness and Personal Beliefs to enable the local church (or other FBO) to re-assume its responsibilities for the health & healing of its community.
6. All 3 systems are easily integrated into existing curative care systems and are especially safe and effective alternatives to the drug-based approach to short-term missions (STMs).
7. All 3 systems support the World Council of Churches’ Health-Promoting Churches. Reflections on Health and Healing for Churches on Commemorative World Health Days  and Health-Promoting Churches Vol II. A handbook to accompany churches in establishing and running sustainable health promotion ministries.  Both volumes have also been endorsed by the Director General of the WHO.
8. As documented by the above references, until the last generation, most healthcare, even at the hospital tertiary care level, was provided by churches and other FBOs.  Although most churches do not have the resources to provide quality curative care, there remains no other organization better qualified to provide health promotion & prevention-the 70%.
9. As documented by the above references, from a US and WHO IS&G evidence-based standpoint, the local congregation is now: “The world’s most qualified & underused healthcare resource.”
See THE 3 CHE SYSTEMS: OVERVIEW for a SLIDE PRESENTATION demonstrating the above.
10. For other CHE-based systems and additional comprehensive guidelines see Setting up Community Health and Development Programmes in Low and Middle Income Settings 4^th Edition 2019 (Click on Open Access icon to Download Free), Medical Ambassadors International, Global CHE Network ,Health for India , Enabled and BPGHM’s Community health

SYSTEM 1: CHE (Community Health Education).  The HEPFDC is most often utilized by both secular and faith-based organizations for implementing US and WHO International Standard & Guideline evidence-based CHE.  CHE:
1. addresses the 70% of diseases that are preventable (Note: Because of the increased burden of disease due to lifestyle over the past 15 years, 70% is now considered a low estimate).
2. includes WHO & HHS evidence-based guidelines & Illustrations for the leading causes of deaths & suffering in the US and globally available free in 9 languages from the DOWNLOAD FREE page
3. is used in both long-term and short-term settings in the US and globally from hospital/clinic to church/community/family levels of care .
4. enables congregations (or other Faith Based Organizations), both US and globally, to reassume their responsibilities for the holistic health of their communities.
5. These systems have now also been adopted by the rapidly growing field of Lifestyle Medicine.  See section II on the  NUTRITION PROGRAMS tab.
See SYSTEM 1: CHE (Community Health Education) The 70% for a SLIDE PRESENTATION demonstrating the above.

SYSTEM 2: CHE&S (CHE + Health Screening).  Adds provider/patient health screening with Holistic Patient-Centered Care to the CHE approach. CHE&S:
1. assists churches (or other Faith Based Organizations) and communities, both urban and rural, in the US and globally, in their efforts to resolve their most important healthcare problems.
2. facilitates and enables a truly compassionate physician/patient relationship even in the short-term setting.
3. is the best system we have found for Integrating  community health into primary care practice “The future of health care generally, and primary care specifically, depends on the integration of personal health care and public health at the level of the local community.” The Lancet Sept 13 2008.
4. is especially important when assisting churches and communities in their efforts to resolve the epidemic of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and the prevention of pandemics.
5. avoids the harm of drug-based short-term missions:  Why Patients are at Much Greater Risk of Harm from Drugs in the Short-term Mission Setting
6. although we carry no drugs (except for those we have committed to provide the community long-term), short-term mission CHE&S also provides critically needed pharmacy and other curative care services, using locally available drugs in the clinic or hospital setting.
7. is used in both long-term and short-term settings and is often combined with Church/Community Health Fairs.
8. WHO & U.S. HHS evidence-based teaching materials and tools for evaluating CHE&S effectiveness are also included.
CHE&S Evidence-Based Guidelines Include:
A. CHE&S GUIDELINES(23 page)  Comprehensive WHO & HHS based CHE&S guidelines for U.S. as well as global long & short-term missions.  CHE&S-Flow Chart (1 page)
B. CHE&S PATIENT RECORD—How it can be used
C. “THE 3 THINGS” (CHE&S templates for flyers, patient records, posters, etc.)
D. OTHER NCD CHE&S GUIDELINES & MATERIALS
See SYSTEM 2: CHE&S (CHE + Health Screening) for a SLIDE PRESENTATION demonstrating the above.

SYSTEM 3: CHE&S + Church/Community Health Fairs.  Multiplies Community Leadership “The Entire Congregation has a Part to Play”
1. A joyful, collaborative, Family-Centered approach for assisting communities in resolving their most important healthcare problems.
2. This IS&G evidence-based system is the most effective we have found for assisting churches/communities in resolving their most important healthcare problems.
3. Health fairs enable even small congregations to follow the health and healing example of Jesus and “let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”  Matthew 5:13-16
4. Probably more than any other activity, health fairs enable more congregation members (from teenagers to grandparents to healthcare professionals) to accomplish the above.
5. Local musicians, learning and exercise games for children, healthy food booths, etc.  enable joyful collaborative community participation as well.
6.For Additional Participatory Health Education Approaches & Resources see the Participatory Approaches Page.
See SYSTEM 3: CHE&S + Church/Community Health Fairs for a SLIDE PRESENTATION demonstrating the above.

FOLLOW-UP / EVIDENCE-BASED DOCUMENTATION OF EFFECTIVENESS
FOLLOW-UP (for all 3 systems is the same):
1. With the Ministry of Health and/or Local Providers for Curative Care.
2. With the Local Church/Faith-Based Organization for Ongoing Health Promotion & Prevention, Monitoring & Support.  As most problems require further education and support, Follow-up Church-Based Group Sessions are nearly always requested by the patients.
EVIDENCE-BASED DOCUMENTAION OF EFFECTIVENESS:
Each system is based on WHO Biblically-based International Standard & Guidelines (IS&Gs) that have received WHO’s highest possible evidence-based rating for effectiveness:
See above references and WHO’s Interventions on Diet & Physical Activity-WHAT WORKS
See THE 3 CHE SYSTEMS: FOLLOW-UP for a SLIDE PRESENTATION demonstrating the above.

For a YouTube slide presentation (No audio) on Slow Motion Disasters and CHE&S–6 Slide Summary Click on the video below: