Biomaterial Database

Community science: bridging the gap between science and practice with community-centered models. 2003

Abraham Wandersman

Department of Psychology, University of South Carolina. Columbia, South Carolina 29208, USA. wanderah@gwm.sc.edu

A major goal of community science is to improve the quality of life in our communities by improving the quality of the practice of treatment, prevention, health promotion, and education. Community science is an interdisciplinary field, which develops and researches community-centered models that enable communities to use evidence-based interventions more effectively and efficiently. In this article, the gap between science and practice and the need to bridge the gap with new models serve as an entry point and guide to the development of a community science. Therefore, the article describes (1) the "prevention science" model of bringing science to practice, (2) why this model is necessary but not sufficient for influencing the quality of interventions in our everyday world, (3) the gap between science and practice and the need to integrate "prevention science" models with community-centered models in order to bridge the gap, and (4) features of community science.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D011314	Preventive Health Services	Services designed for HEALTH PROMOTION.	Health Services, Preventive,Preventive Health,Preventive Health Care,Preventive Health Programs,Preventive Programs,Services, Preventive Health,Care, Preventive Health,Health Care, Preventive,Health Program, Preventive,Health Programs, Preventive,Health Service, Preventive,Health, Preventive,Preventive Health Program,Preventive Health Service,Preventive Program,Program, Preventive,Program, Preventive Health,Programs, Preventive,Programs, Preventive Health,Service, Preventive Health
D003156	Community Mental Health Services	Diagnostic, therapeutic and preventive mental health services provided for individuals in the community.	Community Mental Health Service,Mental Health Services, Community,Assertive Community Treatment,Health Services, Community Mental,Services, Community Mental Health,Services, Mental Health Community,Community Treatment, Assertive,Treatment, Assertive Community
D003299	Cooperative Behavior	The interaction of two or more persons or organizations directed toward a common goal which is mutually beneficial. An act or instance of working or acting together for a common purpose or benefit, i.e., joint action. (From Random House Dictionary Unabridged, 2d ed)	Compliant Behavior,Behavior, Compliant,Behavior, Cooperative,Compliant Behaviors,Cooperative Behaviors
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001523	Mental Disorders	Psychiatric illness or diseases manifested by breakdowns in the adaptational process expressed primarily as abnormalities of thought, feeling, and behavior producing either distress or impairment of function.	Mental Illness,Psychiatric Diseases,Psychiatric Disorders,Psychiatric Illness,Behavior Disorders,Diagnosis, Psychiatric,Mental Disorders, Severe,Psychiatric Diagnosis,Illness, Mental,Mental Disorder,Mental Disorder, Severe,Mental Illnesses,Psychiatric Disease,Psychiatric Disorder,Psychiatric Illnesses,Severe Mental Disorder,Severe Mental Disorders
D012586	Science	The study of natural phenomena by observation, measurement, and experimentation.	Sciences
D014481	United States	A country in NORTH AMERICA between CANADA and MEXICO.
D019317	Evidence-Based Medicine	An approach of practicing medicine with the goal to improve and evaluate patient care. It requires the judicious integration of best research evidence with the patient's values to make decisions about medical care. This method is to help physicians make proper diagnosis, devise best testing plan, choose best treatment and methods of disease prevention, as well as develop guidelines for large groups of patients with the same disease. (from JAMA 296 (9), 2006)	Medicine, Evidence-Based,Evidence Based Medicine,Medicine, Evidence Based