Abstract
Objective : This study explored the methods employed by public health nurses (PHN) to assess community's characteristics in the context of cultural background for example the effect of local climate, residents' disposition and lifestyle on the health status of residents, and how this knowledge is implemented by PHNs. Design: Three PHNs were asked the following research questions: 1) How did the PHNs assess the community's characteristics on their health status? 2) What were these characteristics? 3) How did the PHNs use these characteristics in practice? 4) What were the residents' reactions to nursing intervention? And, 5) How did the answers to the previous four research questions relate with each other? Data were collected using semi-structured interviews with PHNs and participatory observations of interactions between PHNs and residents were also undertaken. Results : 1) PHNs assessed the community's characteristics using six procedures. 2) The community's characteristics were classified into six categories. 3) PHNs matched the community's characteristics with six treatment procedures. 4) The residents' reactions were categorized into five and 5) the relationships with the previous four types of answers were classified into eleven. Conclusion : PHNs get their information on various situations using a combination of their intuition and familiarity with the local environment. PHNs then make one of assessments firstly, "how does the environment impact on residents health" and also, "how they can apply community's characteristics to intervention". In addition, PHNs were also able apply this knowledge when considering the most acceptable method of intervention and make use of community assets.
