The Process of Identifying and Researching the Community Health Problem - Case Study Example

Community mental health July 21, Community mental health My recent tour to Miami revealed social disparity and a number of immigrants who struggle to sustain their lives in the city. Illegal immigrants, some of whom were struggling to secure jobs, lived in deplorable conditions and were unable to afford social services such as education for their children and healthcare services for their families. A closer examination of immigrants in the city revealed that other challenges, such as mental health problems among children, extend to the immigrants’ second generations, even after securing financial stability and education and penetrating into the low middle class. These drew my attention to children of low middle class immigrants, I spent some time with children from the population and understood the need to intervene and safeguard the children’s future. Part I Trend in population of children in the United States has been changing and the percentage of immigrant children has been increasing significantly. About 25 percent of children in the United States, in the year 2009, were born to at least a foreign parent, this is predicted to increase to at least 33 percent by the next four decades, and imbalanced concentration of the immigrants in certain regions establishes significance of the trend. About 75 percent of the immigrants’ children, according to Fritz (2014), live in ten states in the United States. Negative experiences of the parents of the children that could include poverty, violence, or persecution and their associated trauma are threats to emotional stability and could undermine the parent’s ability to understand and meet needs of the children. Some of the children could have also experienced these challenges before immigration into the nation while other could lack adequate parental care because of periodic separation from parents that could even last for months. Risk of suicidal thoughts or initiatives shows significance of mental instability that the immigrants’ children face and creates need for an understanding of the population for corrective measures. Behavioral problems are the most likely mental challenges that the children face. A random sample that identifies significant percentage of children, 19.4 percent, to be having at least an immigrant parent, reported significance of behavioral problems among the immigrant children (Odds Ratio= 0.43, p< 0.000), relative to children whose both parents were natives. The results, however, undermined significance of parents’ immigration status on such mental problems as depression, anxiety, low self worth, and withdrawal. The behavioral problems further differed by predominant race of the children, establishing need for a more focused approach to dealing with the children’s mental health problems. Hispanic children with immigrant parents were the most susceptible to behavioral problem (Odds Ratio= 0.24) and risks of Black and white children followed this respectively (Degboe, BeLue, & Hillemeier, 2012). Specialized group therapy, according to Meir, Slone, & Lewis (2013), is one of the possible solutions to the observed behavioral problems among the population. The therapy is also likely to manage emotional problems to which the children are susceptible and consistency between results from evaluation by the target children and by their teachers suggest reliability of conclusion on effectiveness of specialized group treatment. Preserving culture of the immigrant parent is another proposed approach to minimizing behavioral problems through reducing risks and extent of susceptibility of the children to “anxiety and depression” (Fritz, 2014). Significance of behavioral problems increases burden of achieving quality of health among the population, through straining available healthcare resources. In addition, behavior is important to prevention and treatment of communicable infections and the problem is a threat to the population’s physical health. Poor behavior can also affect the population’s involvement in crimes and behaviors that could risk lives of other members of the society. Consequently, behavioral problems among children of low middle class immigrants form a significant problem that requires more understanding and intervention. Phenomenology design was used to investigate significance of behavioral problems among the children in a neighborhood in Miami. It is hypothesized that behavioral problem is the moist significant metal health problem among the children and that specialized group treatment is a suitable remedy. Part II A school psychologist, in a school with predominantly children from low middle-income families, was selected for the study because of informed opinion on behavior and close interaction with children of low middle class people in the locality. The professional was also likely to sensitive to the children’s orientation, with respect to their parents’ immigration status, and associated psychological conditions. Interview questions for the study appear in the appendix. Results The psychologist acknowledged significance of aggressive behavioral problems among children with at least one immigrant parent than the problem was significant among children whose all parents were natives. He, however, noted that Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder was more significant among the immigrant children than are behavioral problems. A high level of hyperactivity was reported among children with immigrant parents. Many of the children often appeared distracted from class session and they exhibited many body movements within their seats. Fidgets by the children, especially during class sessions, could be an “indicator of conflict between the children’s current environment and their native environment.” Coupled with a sense of inferiority, especially because the immigrant parents came from inferior countries, nervousness influenced the movements that could also be distracting the children from learning. Most of the children with immigrant parents also demonstrated lack of control in their talks, especially when in groups of peer with immigration backgrounds. Their responses to general questions also tended to be long and sometimes deviate from contexts. The talkative nature also manifested during quite tasks as the immigrant children, unlike children of native parents, could ask questions or offer comments during the tasks. Differences in aggression traits were however minimal. Factors such as ability to control temper, deviance, and being offensive were evenly distributed between children with native parents and those with at least an immigrant parent. Conducts such as bullying and involvement in conflicts were also common in the two groups but children with immigrant parents had significant problems in conforming to expected behavior. “Conflict in social values between parents” could strain the children’s social orientations and parents’ values could differ from expected values in schools. The differences could also explain other conflicts that could motivate fights and applied mechanisms in fights. Specialized group therapy, according to the psychologist, may not be the best approach to managing the prevalent mental disorders among the children or older population because of its possible marginalizing effects. The exercise exposed me to reality of mental health problems. It culminated my knowledge development in the subject, as I previously associated mental problems with developing countries. Interaction with immigrant populations in Miami informed ne of possible significance of the problems in the United States and the exercise has motivated me to be active in policy advocacy and resource mobilization for psychological approach to managing mental health problems among children from low middle class and immigrant families. The Process of Identifying and Researching the Community Health Problem and Outline of a Plan of Action The Process Psychological factors determine biological health in a number of ways and the relationship between stress and both the immune system and the endocrine system explains this and influenced my research on behavioral problems among children of middle low income immigrants in Miami. In response to stress, glands such as the hypothalamus release hormones that influence physiological processes and influence people’s health. Similarly, stress influences the body’s immune system (Nevid, Rathus, & Greene, 2014) to determine quality of health and secondary consequences such as ability to excel in academic studies. The relationship between psychological strain that children of immigrants are susceptible to and the children’s immediate and future quality of health influenced my desire to conduct a study on psychological problems that the population faces and possible solutions to the problems. Interaction with the population during my Miami visit stimulated the research initiative. Observation of lifestyle of immigrants and their children was the first step to researching on the subject. A visit to Miami exposed me to the people and compassion, with interest in long-term effects that could last across generations focused my interest on children of middle class immigrants. Literature review on immigrants in the United States, distribution of the immigrants, and mental problems to which children of the immigrants are susceptible followed and established significance and relevance of the research. The review identified significant population of immigrant children that has also been increasing with time and is concentrated on a few states. The children suffer from different mental illnesses that could persist even after the immigrants attain financial stability. A phenomenology study was conducted to investigate significance of behavioral problem among children of low middle class immigrants in a neighborhood in Miami and a school was used. The school’s psychology was the data source and identified behavioral problems and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder as significant mental health problems among the children. Plan of Action Hostile conditions in home countries are the main reasons for immigration and even though immigrants may have hopes for a better future, their initial days in the foreign land are full of negative experiences such as poverty, violence, and prosecution that may induce greater psychological strain than poverty does in domestic countries. An integrated plan of action that involves psychological approaches to preventing immigration and programs for assimilating immigrants into the United States economy is proposed for solving the problem. Even though literature suggests significance of specialized group therapy for solving mental problems that the children face, diversity among the population may lead to marginalization. Preventing illegal immigration also promises to eliminate the population while programs for assimilating immigrants is likely to eliminate negative experiences that increases children’s susceptibility to mental health problems. The programs would undermine the illegality of the immigrants and avoid possible discrimination from nationals. Advocacy for state and national immigration laws would be the approach to implementing the plan. Social media will aid mobilization and the advocacy at affordable cost and workshops and conferences on child health and associated disadvantages of immigration would be conducted across major cities in the nation. Budget and Action Plan for Solving Illegal Immigration Illegal immigration is the identified ill from the society. Even though people have freedom of movement and association, national, and international laws exist, that regulate movements and breach of such laws is immoral. In addition, people are responsible for well being of their children and bringing up children in a hostile environment undermines the responsibility. Raising children in home countries would possibly have less significant psychological effects because other children in the locality face same conditions, unlike in the United States in which the children interact with others from higher social classes. Research on factors to illegal immigration and possible legislative solutions and advocacy for development of the solutions is the proposed approach for solving the problem. The following is the proposed budget for initiating and advocating for the legislative process. Table 1: Proposed budget Item Amount Research on factors to illegal immigration $ 650 Research on effective legislations for reducing illegal immigration $ 650 Development of materials for online campaign against illegal immigration $500 Personnel for online mobilization of campaigners $ 200 Workshops for campaigners in Florida cities with high rates of immigration (Volunteers) $ 1300 A conference for collecting public views on the problem $ 1000 Workshops with Florida state legislators and congress committee members on immigration $ 1000 Total 5300 Action plan for the proposed solution involves empirical studies for an understanding of factors to immigration and possible legislative measures and advocacy for effective immigration laws. Persistent immigration suggests underlying factors that motivate immigrants and possible flaws in existing laws and contemporary studies will inform proposals for better legislations, which are psychologically oriented. A study on factors to immigration will focus on factors that push people from their native countries into the United States and factors that attract the immigrants to the nation, with focus on Miami. The results will be incorporated into the interview results to inform need for and feasibility of a solution. Mobilization of volunteer campaigners, awareness initiatives among the volunteers, campaigns, and audience with political leaders will then follow. Three months are proposed for the implementing the initiative but campaigns will continue to facilitate faster legislation. The following table summarizes action plan for the proposed solution. Activity Timeline Research on factors to illegal immigration, native countries and the United State and Research on effective legislations for reducing illegal immigration, done concurrently by different teams One month Review of the three primary research materials and documentation Two weeks Development of materials for online campaign against illegal immigration Two weeks Mobilization of campaigners Three weeks Workshops for campaigners in Florida cities with high rates of immigration (Volunteers) 1 week, run from different and selected cities A conference for collecting public views on the problem Three days Workshops with Florida state legislators and congress committee members on immigration Two days Experience with the Process The study expanded my knowledge on psychological aspects of immigration that are significant to immigrants, their children, and subsequent generations. Even though the number of immigrants is expected to increase, immigrants and their family members, back in the countries of origin, suffer psychological stress and this warrant prevention as management strategy (Rudkin, 2003). The study also informed me of distress that immigrants and their families undergo. More female immigrants report distress than are male immigrants and intensity of distress is also higher among female immigrants. Some people also immigrate involuntarily and this contributes to their distress (Torres & Wallace, 2013). Family members who remain in countries of origin also suffer distress and women are more vulnerable than are men (Silver, 2014). Roles of criminal gangs such as drug traffickers in promoting child immigration, and political differences that hinder comprehensive immigration legislations have also been barriers to solving the problem (Abdullah, 2014). Deportation of immigrants has been the major applied solution (Renwick & Lee, 2015) and this could only worsen psychological conditions of the immigrants and their family members in both the United States and the countries of origin. The developed knowledge informed the need for a psychologically sensitive approach to solving the behavioral problems and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, long-term problems that face children of low middle class immigrants. Summary of the Articles, their Significance to Understanding the Problem, and their Possible use Torres and Wallace (2013) established that women are more susceptible to distress due to immigration and the distress is further more significant in women. Significant percentage of the immigrants is either involuntary or unplanned and while involuntary immigration is associated with psychological distress, unplanned immigration is associated with physical health, especially among women. The article identifies distress that is associated with mental illnesses among the immigrants and their future generations and the information will be used to refine research on mental problems that the population faces. Silver (2014) investigated psychological effects of migration on families that are left in Mexico and reported depression and loneliness due to departure of family members, especially spouses and children, with women being more affected than are men. The results establish significance of adverse psychological effects of immigration in the countries of origin and identify need for a comprehensive solution. It will be used to establish global international significance of immigration and to convince stakeholders that a comprehensive legislations, and even international measures, are necessary for preventing psychological strain that immigrants cause to themselves, their children, and their other relatives. References Abdullah, H. (2014). 5 things you need to know about the immigration crisis. The Cable News Network. Retrieved from: http://edition.cnn.com/2014/07/07/politics/5-things-immigration-reality-check/. Degboe, A., BeLue, R., & Hillemeier, M. (2012). Parental immigrant status and adolescent mental health in the United States: do racial/ethnic differences exist? Child & Adolescent Mental Health, 17(4), 209-15. Fritz, J. (2014). The changing face of America’s children: A look at global child mental health. Brown University Child & Adolescent behavior letter, 30(5), 1-6. Meir, Y., Slone, M., & Lewis, M. (2013). A randomized controlled study of a group intervention program to enhance mental health of children of illegal migrant workers. Child & Youth Care Forum, 43(2), 165-180. Nevid, J., Rathus, S., & Greene, B. (2014). Abnormal psychology in a changing world. 9th Ed. New York, NY: Pearson. Renwick, D. & Lee, B. (2015). The U.S. immigration debate. The Council on Foreign Relations. Retrieved from: http://www.cfr.org/immigration/us-immigration-debate/p11149. Rudkin, J. (2003). Community psychology: Guiding principles and orienting concepts. New York, NY: Pearson. Silver, A. (2014). Families across borders: The emotional impacts of migration on origin families. International Migration, 52(3), 194-220. Torres, J. & Wallace, S. (2013). Migration circumstances, psychological distress, and self-rated physical health for Latino immigrants in the United States. American Journal of Public Health, 103(9), 1619-1627. Appendix: Interview questions Interview questions Section 1 This section relates to hyperactivity as a possible aspect to behavioral problems Evaluate possible difference between children with native parents and children with at least one immigrant parent. To what extent do the children squirm while seated in class? Are the children able to regulate their speech or do they talk endlessly? To what extent do the children move around or play with objects around them? What is the children’s ability to focus on quiet tasks? Section 2 This section relates to aggression aspect of behavior What is your observation on the students’ conducts such as bullying other students, initiating fights with older students, tendency of using weapons against others, and breaking into places? How do the students respond to their environments? Focus on temper, deviance, being offensive, and passing blame to other people. To what extent do the children conform to social expectations? Section 3 This section relates to other possible mental problems to which the population may be susceptible. What mental disorders are common between the two groups of children? What measures has the school taken to resolve these problems? Discuss some of the measures that can improve approaches to solving the problems Read More