Resilience-building by community health organizations: a guiding model for practice

Abstract

Background/purpose: Among certain academic disciplines there is a tendency to focus on underlying human attributes as primary contributors to resilience. In contrast, the concept of community resilience extends well beyond the capacities of the individual alone. This research aimed to offer diverse perspectives about resilience enhancement, including those concerned with broader socio-ecological circumstances; it further aimed to present those actions that are of particular relevance to community health organisations. A structured literature review was undertaken. The search strategy covered the topic areas of community resilience, resilience across the cancer continuum, and resilience in the context of other common chronic diseases (cardiovascular disease and diabetes). Findings included four key themes form the pillars of our Safety-Net Model of Resilience-Building for Community Health Organizations: (1) the fostering of social connectedness; (2) the provision of knowledge and skill-building services; (3) the application of innovative and strategic communication tools; and (4) the prioritisation of stakeholder community partnerships. In conclusion, the community resilience literature offers valuable and unconventional insight for those concerned with resilience building amongst populations of interest, including those living with chronic disease.