Community health psychology : promoting analysis and action for social change

Community health psychology is concerned with the theory and method of working with communities to combat disease and to promote health. This introductory article outlines key assumptions and debates underlying this area of research and practice – in the interests of framing the papers in this special edition of the Journal of Health Psychology. Attention is given to the value of emphasising the community level of analysis and action; the role of collective action in improving health; psycho-social mediators between community participation and health; and the potential role of partnerships in creating ‘healthy communities’. A distinction is made between ‘accommodationist’ and ‘critical’ perspectives, and the authors debate whether or not significant social change can come from community-level action.