Health Campaign Instructions - Research Paper Example

 Health Campaign Instructions Obesity is a challenging issue of Texas population. Approximately two-thirds of state population suffers from obesity and overweight, in spite of ethnic origin, socio-economic status, age or sex. At present this is an overwhelming burden for local health care organizations, business and employees. Current survey will cover community of Harris County, Texas. Target group under survey includes Hispaniс, African-American women, children and teenagers. Analysis, recommendations and results of the survey correspond to nationally identified health objective of Healthy People 2010. Obesity refers to such objectives as access to healthy services, diabetes, food safety, physical activity and fitness, quality of life and well-being. These objectives condition rate of obesity in the selected county. Representatives of the above ethnic groups are inclined to obesity oftener than White and Non-Hispanic Texans. According to Bruce Wright, “71 percent of Hispanics were overweight or obese as were 75.7 percent of African-Americans.” (Wright, 2007) In this case, accurate and reliable statistics was provided by difficult agencies is important. Statistics was borrowed from such federal agencies the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas and US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), state agencies State Texas Workforce Commission (TWC), University of Texas Health Science Center (Houston), UT Houston of School of Public Health, Texas Education Agency (TEA). As for local agencies, statistics from Texas Youth Fitness Evaluation Project was used. Provided statistics allows making fundamental analysis of the problem under discussion. Obesity touches various spheres of life of population of Harris County such health care system, life style, health care insurances and employees’ expenses. Texas has the highest obesity rate in the USA. According to CDC, within the period of 1990 – 2005 obesity rate in the state has grown by 200%. High-risk group broadens with the increase of years. University of Texas Health Science Center statistics shows that age group from 18 up to 29 years includes circa 53% of overweight/obese, but in the next group this index increases by 14%. It means that Hispanic and African-American women, dwelling in Harris County, are in high-risk groups. They have more personal freedom in selection of daily ration, type of physical activity, disposal of earnings. At the same time, over 70% of them have low income and nearly 50% are uninsured (Shields, 2007). Thus, they are not covered by numerous programs cooperative employer health plans, intended to improve employees’ life stile, diet, social protection etc. Although Hispanic and African-American children and teenagers are in the group with the lowest risk, their future primarily depends on family socio-economic status, parents’ preferences, healthy way of life, school nutritional programs, physical activity and self-development. Ordinary citizens, health care professionals, local authorities and entrepreneurs are interested in improvement of health of Harris County population. The above target group makes 12 – 15% of total population, that’s why it is enrolled in different health-improvement programs. Coordinated Approach to Child Health (CATCH) was developed to ameliorate nutrition in local elementary schools and increase percentage of weekly physical activity. CATCH provides standards and recommendations for high-risk ethnic groups according to their physical state, typical body complexion. Thus, Hispanic and African-American students from low-income families can to some extent rely on support of government and non-profit organizations. HCPHES offers local residents project the Built Environment, which will be especially efficient for the targeted population. It allows high-risk communities determining environmental barriers for lowering of physical activity. Also the Built Environment participants increase their medical literacy and promote physical activity as pledge of healthy way of life. The above projects partially perform functions of epidemiologic surveillance systems, because they allow collect and constantly update statistics related to obesity rate, food safety, impact of obesity/overweight on students’ academic achievement. Health care professional can use this statistics for monitoring obesity rate and associated diseases (e.g. diabetes, diabetes long-term complications). In accordance with CDC statistics, Texas has one of the highest diabetes rates throughout the United States; for instance, there are 122 patients with long-term complications per 100,000 Texans (Combs, 2008). Thus, University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston finances projects for prevention of diabetes and obesity. Hispanic and African-American residents also take active part in the above programs, because they are developed for low- and middle-income families, which opportunities are limited. Children and teenagers of both ethnic groups are especially vulnerable, because their inclination to obesity is higher than in Non-Hispanic Whites. In spite of high level of the uninsured and millions of additional annual expenses, medical institutions of Harris County Hospital District enroll representatives of the target group in Medicaid and health-improvement programs and services. In such a way they can estimate obesity and diabetes rate more accurately. Besides, care data and disease registries will be completed for further analysis and restructure of the existing medical programs. Harris County is located in the borderlands, that’s why many residents speak English poorly and do not have proper medical literacy. It mainly refers to high percentage of Hispanic families, which have moved from Mexico and Central America not so long ago. Harris County Hospital District should take care of the above groups as future patients, employees and US citizens. In 2003 Texas Cooperative Extension’s Harris County 4-H Program together with HCPHES and University of Texas Health Science Center established Bounce program. It provides multicultural services as to analysis of fast food, foodstuffs from local supermarkets, system of healthy nutrition etc. “Food safety information is also provided. The curriculum covers hand washing, safe cooking times, produce cleaning methods and proper food storage.” (Miller and Jones, 2006) Its developers take into account that multinational structure of the local society. The newly arrived Hispanic immigrants are in a disadvantaged position before English-speaking majority, because why their access to English informative resources and health care services is limited. This program is intended for Spanish, English, Arabic and Chinese languages. Thus, Hispanic and African-American women can obtain useful knowledge and organize healthy nutrition of their families to prevent overweight and obesity. One of the main reasons of high obesity rate among Hispanic and African-American students in Harris County is lack of physical activity. According to statistics of Texas Youth Fitness Evaluation Project, inclination of children to obesity in South Texas equals round 42%. It increases high-risk group of susceptibility to diabetics at the early stages among the targeted population. “It has been predicted that for every child born after the year 2000, one out of three Caucasians and two out of three Hispanic or African-Americans will become diabetic.” (Ingrem, 2006) Shortage of daily physical activity is an important drawback of educational curriculum in Harris County and the whole Texas. It was officially restricted, in spite of high obesity rate among students of different ethnic origin. As for Hispanic and African-American, they require special care and attention, because they belong to the high-risk group. PE teachers, health care professionals and their families strive for development anti-obesity training for them. PE teachers can organize special lectures dedicated to obesity and its impact upon academic achievement, mental work and human health. Schools should cooperate with HCPHES in order to promote healthy way of life and food safety among local Hispanic and African-American families. In this case, local authorities should follow example of health-related project in California, where millions of students passed FITNESSGRAM test. It has been implementing since 1982 throughout the United States and estimates relationship between academic achievement, level of activity and obesity. This epidemiology tool allows monitoring obesity rate among Hispanic or African-American pupils of elementary and secondary schools. This provides an efficient method of influence upon their families, explaining the students advantages of healthy way of life. Working with for a long time, health care specialists are able to determine threshold of obesity in Harris County. FITNESSGRAM test and similar epidemiology tools are coordinated by state official, medical specialists and teachers, who would like to estimate obesity/overweight rate in particular schools and regions. The results of analysis will be officially declared and provided for students and their families. They will be followed with clear non-scientific explanation of the results to meet needs of Hispanic or African-American audience, who do not speak English well. School administration also can suggest parents and students rearrange existing nutrition system in accordance with food safety standards. The target population often can not afford paying for this service, that’s why proper share of state budget will be assigned. Hispanic or African-American women will be able to express their opinion as to needs and demands of their children. Health care specialists assess body fatness, aerobic capacity, body composition, endurance, overall flexibility and other physical parameters of the students. In California only 25% of all students successfully passed six FITNESSGRAM sub-tests. In Harris County this test will reveal obvious drawbacks of the educational curriculum and will provide statistics for students of all grades and ethnic groups. Their risk factor will be evaluated. Using obtained statistics, PE teachers will be able to develop an individual approach to every student and restructure physical education classes correspondently. In general, obesity covers all spheres of life of Hispanic or African-American population in Harris County. The results of the survey prove that governmental support is not enough to deal with the problem. All interested parties must cooperate with each other on different levels such as schools, public organizations, physical training centers and programs, health insurance provision, health-improvement programs (CATCH, the Built Environment). Statistic shows that decrease of obesity rate is on the agenda within the target population. Bibliography 1. Combs. S. (2008, August). Health Care. Texas in Focus: South Texas. Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, 12, 75 – 84. Retrieved October 05, 2010, from Window of State Government database. 2. Hudgins, K. (May, 2007). Healing Health Care Costs. Fiscal Review, 5, 2 - 5. Retrieved October 05, 2010, from Window of State Government database. 3. Ingrem, D. (2006). Texas Youth Fitness Evaluation Project. Project of the Copper Institute, 2, 1 – 4. Retrieved October 05, 2010, from Window of State Government database. 4. Miller. H. and Jones V. L. (2006). Reaching Harris County. Retrieved October 02, 2010, from Harris County Website: http://harris-tx.tamu.edu/highlights/q206web.pdf 5. Shields, C. (May, 2007). A Steep Price for the Uninsured. Fiscal Review, 5, 7 - 9. Retrieved October 05, 2010, from Window of State Government database. 6. Wright, B. (May, 2007). Weighing the Costs. Fiscal Review, 5, 10 - 11. Retrieved October 05, 2010, from Window of State Government database. Read More