Statistical Analysis of Community Health Data: Lincoln Heights - Essay Example

According to the census bureau, Lincoln Heights is a state near Los Angeles that has a dense population. At the same time, the majority of the people are youths. Past studies have shown that the behavioral patterns of these young adults engage in drug and substance use. This has been evident in the past centuries. In Lincoln Heights, has a total population of approximately 1,934,408 inhabitants. Out of this number, the whites comprise of 86%, while Asians are the least with 3% of the total population (Marotta, 2017).

On the other hand, young adults add up to 52% of the total population. The percentage of males and females living in this locale are 45 and 55% respectively. In West Virginia, the youths are approximately 36% of the total population. Those locals with master's degrees are 10.5% while the number holding less than a diploma is 13%. The unemployment rate remains at 18.3%, while poverty rates for both citizens and non-citizens are approximately 19.7%. At the same time, the crime rate, which has been determined by drug abuse, is around 36.52%.

The prevalence of drug and substance use in Lincoln among the whites is much higher than that of the blacks and Indian Asians in West Virginia. For instance, from our survey, approximately 26.52% of the respondents reported that they struggle with drug abuse; on the other hand, only 20% of the whites abuse drugs in West Virginia. Further, comparing unemployment rates and poverty rates, we realize that West Virginia has fewer approximations. The prices are 3.6% and 15.32% respectively for all the ethnic minorities. On the other hand, in West Virginia, the crime rate is relatively lower than that of Lincoln state. The statistics obtained from online databases showed that the crime rate in West Virginia is 7.3% less than that of Lincoln.

Analysis of the Findings and Drug Abuse

After exploring both the subjective and objective data, it was evident that in Lincoln city, there is a higher population of youths who are unemployed. This revealed to us that young adults tend to use drugs as a result of frustrations and depression. The majority of them believed that this habit would reduce their anxiety and stress levels (Marotta, 2017). Also, the poverty rate in this state is higher, implying that most of these individuals could not afford a stable lifestyle. This might have forced them to indulge in drugs. Additionally, the subjective data revealed that peer pressure among the youths in Lincoln state is paramount. Therefore, they tend to borrow the trend of drug abuse from their fellow age mates, thus end up becoming addicts.

Community Health Diagnosis

In our research, drug abuse was a complex issue amongst many whites in Lincoln state. Specifically, the majority of individuals who are addicts include the youths. These youths tend to assume the negative consequences that are associated with drug and substance use. Several factors are associated with this behavioral pattern. There is a high rate of employment, implying that they end up using drugs to control depression. Secondly, the poverty rate has a role to play in the prevalence of this behavioral pattern. This is in the sense that frustrations in life cause the younger generations to indulge in drug abuse (Marotta, 2017). o, the education levels also as a role to play in this aspect. Elites would avoid doing drugs since they are more exposed than the illiterate, and understand the severe effects of the trend. Drug abuse is associated with severe consequences. For instance, heroin can cause cardiovascular illnesses. A good example is heart disease that results from damaged blood vessels. Further, it causes other side effects such as liver and kidney damage to the drug user. All these alter the proper functioning of the body, thus reducing the quality of life.

Nursing Diagnosis

The prevalence of drug abuse in Lincoln state is a complex issue that the clinical practicum is currently facing. Despite the efforts by relevant bodies to control the behavioral patterns among the youths, intervention by the community nurses and other medical personnel is required (A & B, 2016). By this, it means that nurses must collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to educate the public on the severe effects of drug abuse. Also, nurses have the most substantial role of advocating for policies that regulate the illegal selling of drugs. Moreover, nurses might also collaborate with other bodies and develop community participation programs where youths are given opportunities to express their ideas. This will play a significant role in reducing cases of drug abuse.