Needs Assessment in Public Health - Research Paper Example

Introduction: Health needs assessment is a procedure used to identify the health needs of a particular population. The main objective of the assessment is to observe how health institutions initiate policies that will satisfy the various needs of the concerned population. The assessment gathers information and disseminates the same information for purposes of improving the health conditions, and needs of the population. It assigns the various areas of importance, and develops strategies that will ensure the health problem identified is solved. This paper analyzes the various theories of need, and the approaches of conducting a health needs assessment. It analyzes a report on teenage pregnancies in Brent, giving its strengths and weaknesses. This paper concludes by a summary of the main points addressed. Concepts and Theories underpinning Health Needs assessment: Need refers to a desire of a particular service or product. Maslow developed the Hierarchy of needs theory, and according to his theory, the notion of need has five elements. These elements are physiological, safety, love, esteem and self-actualization (Brazelton et al, 2000). Maslow denotes that physiological needs involve desire for food, sex, water and excretion. He further denotes that these needs are basic, and mankind cannot do without them (Brazelton et al, 2000). Another set of needs, according to Maslow is the desire to feel safe and secure (Holt, 1984). Safety involves the security of the body, security of resources, and security of employment. Safety comes with financial stability, without which it is impossible for an individual to feel secured in terms of their physical wellbeing, and emotional stability. Desire to find acceptance, to love and be loved is another level of need. Holt (1984) denotes that a person needs family love, friendly love, and sexual intimacy. Maslow (1999) denotes that the wish of an individual to find acceptance amongst the social groups in a society is important and fundamental. Maslow denotes that at this stage, an individual requires respect from the society, and this will increase their self-esteem (Ormrd, 1999). According to Bradshaw, there are four types of need, namely comparative, felt, expressed and normative needs (Ormrod, 1999). Ormrod denotes that normative need is a need that comes from the opinion of an expert concerning a particular situation (1999). It is best exemplified by a recommendation of the government for parents to vaccinate their children against measles. Ormrod further denotes that expressed need arises out of the observations of the various needs a community requires, in regard to the provision of health care services (1999). Comparative need arises out of an examination of a need in one area, and the same is applied in another are, which has similar geographical and populative characteristics. The same information collected in one area, is used to serve another area. On a felt need, this is a need that emanates as a result of the actual desires of the society (Ormrod, 1999). Approaches to Health Needs Assessment: In the health needs assessment, there are three methods of conducting the assessment, and they are comparative, corporate and epidemiological approaches. Comparative approach involves making a comparison of the health care services in one region, and applying the same services in another region that share similar characteristics. The approach puts in consideration the demography, mortality and morbidity of the area (Petersen and Alexander, 2001). This approach denotes that areas with similar characteristics suffer from the same problems, and therefore require similar health services. The corporate approach assess particular needs of a region by looking at the various perspectives, demands and requirements of the people within the region, and other interested parties, such as the church, non-governmental institutions and political organizations. To formulate a health policy therefore, the interest of these groups must be integrated within the formulated policy (Sheaff, 1996). On this note, the corporate approach deals with the various groups within a society, as opposed to an individual person. It puts emphasis on collaboration, and partnership within a given community, and the various groups operating in the community. On this note, the approach formulates policies, whose main aim is to satisfy the various needs of these institutions. Peterson and Alexander (2001) observe that the main disadvantage of this policy is its failure to identify a need and a demand. The approach cannot distinguish between a need and a demand because of constant lobbying and threats that may emanate from the various players within a particular region. Basing on this, there is a high risk that a policy formulated will lead to satisfy a particular demand, instead of a need. Another weakness of the approach is its failure to make a difference between the elements of science, and the various interests that come from social groups operating in the region. By using the epidemiological approach, policy makers will initiate a policy that serves the need of an individual patient. The policy is made though analyzing a customer’s opinions and thereafter policy makers assess the need of intervening in order to solve the identified problem. In formulating a policy that will solve the problem in question, policy holders will assess the costs of implementing the policy, and thereafter plan on the best method of implementing the drafted policy. Review of the Report: This report manages to incorporate the principles of epidemiological and corporate approach in analyzing the pregnancy problems in Brent, and coming up with a solution. The report manages to bring out the psychological needs of teenage girls and their mothers, and thereafter offer a solution to the problems that they face. Physiological need is the first stage of needs, in accordance to Maslow theory, and sex is part of it. The report manages to identify expressed needs, advocated by Bradshaw. For instance, the report highlights the role of health care institutions in Brent in reducing the rates of pregnancy in region. The institutions recognize that the pregnancy rate is the highest in Europe, and the government must formulate measures and policies that will reduce the pregnancy rates in this region. From the report, an individual can see the various needs desired by mothers of pregnant teenage girls, and the girls themselves by considering the Maslow’s theory of need. For instance, there is need of acceptance, love and self-esteem. All this are properly highlighted in the report. One main weakness of the report is failure to use the comparative approach in analyzing the pregnancy problems among teenagers in Brent. In comparative approach, a medical institution compares a medical problem in one area that has similar characteristics to another. It identifies the need and the solutions to the problem. The report does not compare the pregnancy issues in Brent, to other parts of Britain or Europe. The report only acknowledges that pregnancy problems in England are higher than those of Europe. It does not look at how these countries managed to solve teenage pregnancy problems, and the various health policies that health institutions in these countries enacted. The report does not provide a sample of the population in use, and it does not highlight the methods in which they managed to pick the sample for purposes of using it in the research. This is also major weakness of the report. It only identifies the population as the teenage pregnant girls, but it does not identify how the population was picked, and sampled. The report, by using the corporate approach, fails to differentiate between a need and a demand. This is depicted by failure of the report in specifying the categories of placing the desires of teenage mothers. Is it a demand, or is it a need. There is a dilemma on this note. Conclusion: The health needs assessment mechanism is an essential methodology of depicting a need, and thereafter developing a policy that will solve the need in question. Maslow identified five levels of need, and he placed them in a hierarchical order. On this note, he identified the needs as physiological, safety and security, love, respect and self-actualization. Bradshaw comes up with a different identification of needs. He identifies four, and names them as comparative, felt, normative and expressed need. The main difference between the approaches of Bradshaw and Maslow is on the importance in which Maslow places his needs. Maslow uses an Hierarchy, to place his different types of need, while Bradshaw denotes that all this needs are essential, and he does not place them in an hierarchical system. Bibliography: Brazelton, T. B., & Greenspan, S. I. (2000). The irreducible needs of children: what every child must have to grow, learn, and flourish. Cambridge, Mass.: Perseus Pub.. Holt, K., & Geschka, H. (1984). Need assessment: a key to user-oriented product innovation. Chichester [Sussex: Wiley. Maslow, A. H., & Frager, R. (1987). Motivation and personality (3rd ed.). New York: Harper and Row. Maslow, A. H. (1999). Toward a psychology of being (3rd ed.). New York: J. Wiley & Sons. Ormrod, J. E. (1999). Human learning (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Merrill. Petersen, D. J., & Alexander, G. R. (2001). Needs assessment in public health a practical guide for students and professionals. New York: Kluwer Academic. Sheaff, R. (1996). The need for healthcare. London: Routledge. Warheit, G. J., Bell, R. A., & Schwab, J. J. (1977). Needs assessment approaches: concepts and methods. Rockville, Md.: National Institute of Mental Health :. Top of Form Bottom of Form Read More