Community stakeholders are those community members that have a stake in the health interests of such community. They play significant role in the community’s health and performance. Without community stakeholders, health assessment will not provide desired results. It is a remainder to note that community stakeholders can be internal or external in nature.
A focus on disease prevention through health promotion will not only improve the health of community members but help to decrease health care costs and improve quality of care. The additional groups that might be appropriate to include in the planning process of health assessment may include civil society (i.e. those with special interests in the field of community health promotion and wellness), the media advocacy group, public and private health facilities, and educational institutions. I am certain these groups will support the main purpose of many health promotion activities—by clearly affecting health behaviors of individuals and communities; and living and working conditions that influence their health standard (The Department of Health Promotion and Behavior, n.d.).
Civil society organizations play a significant role in impelling both community and the governmental institutions (World Health Organizations, n.d.). They are very good in having knowledge and comprehension of the local situations. They can influence and provide better information on the planning process of health assessment. Unlike the representatives of local government agencies, civil society organizations can function effectively in multiple geographical areas that my otherwise be difficult for local government agencies.
Furthermore, the media society plays additional roles in making sure information are disseminated appropriately and to the right channels of distribution/communication. Media advocacy group can promote community health promotion via physical exercise. Additionally, they use media to promote, encourage and attract community members while advantageously advocating for any policy amendment (Wallack & Dorfman, 1996). Local members of public and private health facilities should be involved in the knowledge awareness of the health promotion. Also, educational institutions can be involved in the maintenance of robust collaborative relationships that may lead to further research and training in health promotional activities. They can expand health planning process, especially in underserved members, by also steering interdisciplinary research and education to endow civil society, providers, individuals and external communities to practice and stimulate better performances.
The Department of Health Promotion and Behavior. (n.d.) What is Health Promotion & Behavior? Retrieved from https://www.publichealth.uga.edu/hpb/what-health-promotion-behavior
Wallack, L., & Dorfman, L. (August, 1996). Media advocacy: A strategy for advancing policy and promoting health. Health Education Quarterly, 23(3):293-317.
World Health organization. (n.d.). Assessing the engagement of civil society, nongovernmental and community organizations. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/tb/publications/tb_framework_checklist16.pdf
