Catchment and Community

Abstract

The lack of interchangeability between the concepts "catchment" and "community" is demonstrated by using the area defined by the traffic pattern of certain psychiatric patients of the Johns Hopkins Hospital. Confusion of catchment for community enhances the probability of failure to perceive primary needs of some portions of the population. The suggestion is made that careful consideration to development of a model of a health-delivery system being planned is helpful in avoiding some of the conceptual confusion. A selection of variables essential to any model are briefly discussed.