Alabama Public Health Disparities - Essay Example

"Alabama Public Health Disparities" is an excellent example of a paper on the health system. The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) is committed to ensuring that health disparities are reduced or eliminated in Alabama. ADPH seeks new knowledge about some of the contributors to health disparities such as poverty, unequal access to care and education and further utilizes enhanced methods for disease prevention and health promotion. The department seeks to engage and assemble affected communities and create new health partnerships aimed at eradicating health disparities. ADPH is working alongside chronic disease program managers to eradicate health disparities that have tainted Alabama as the worst state in terms of health issues.

ADPH is struggling to implement some policies that can see the issue of health disparities eliminated using various techniques such as training, raising awareness and forming partnerships to identify and test solutions. The Department attempts to deal with various determinants such as cultural factors, socioeconomic aspects, racism, political and other discriminatory factors such as geographic residence, gender, and age and disability status. The shortage of professionals in the healthcare sector in Alabama has been addressed by first, evaluation of the short designated areas by the Primary Care and Rural Health Office of ADPH to enable underserved groups to participate in various programs.

The Nutrition and Physical Activity Division (NPA) acts as a focal point where Alabamians may seek advice regarding nutrition and their physical wellbeing. NPA aims at promoting a healthy lifestyle amongst all the Alabamians including women, infants, and children through health professionals who are encouraged to consider many things such as environmental factors within families and communities. NPA provides safe, enjoyable, and accessible environments for physical activities in public places such as schools and increases access to healthy foods and nutritional information in schools and communities. Moreover, health disparities are eliminated by NPA through coordination of public, private and community organizations to create a good social environment that promotes Alabamians' wellbeing.

Another serious health issue in Alabama is tobacco use but the Tobacco Prevention and Control (TPC), a branch of ADPH, is committed to tobacco use and eliminates secondhand smoke as well as addressing tobacco-related disparities among Alabamians. TPC, as a way of eliminating health disparity, offers technical assistance and funding to public health areas and youth-serving organizations as a way of taking services closer to the public. The Alabama Comprehensive Cancer Control Coalition (ACCCC) has come up with approaches to reducing cancer incidences such as prevention, early detection, treatment, palliation and ensuring that resources are efficiently used and gaps in education and services identified. ACCCC entails a variety of groups representing almost every region of the state and partners who are focused on the reduction of cancer burden.

Moreover, the Alabama Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (ABCCEDP) is focused on inhibiting the preventable disease, disability, and premature death caused by cancer of the breast or cervix using different means such as detection and screening. ADPH requires and recommends that women should go for a gynecological exam to prevent cervical, ovarian, and uterine cancers. There are screening tests offering powerful opportunity for the detection and successful treatment of many cancers and further improve available treatment options for many cancer cases and enhance the likelihood of a cure. Healthcare professionals from the ADPH also offer significant information about cancer screening and encourage their patients and Alabamians to participate in routine screening. Alabamians are advised by ADPH to modify their lifestyle choices and offer better access to preventive care.

Concerning heart conditions, the Alabama Cardiovascular Health (CHV) program gets funds from the CDC to help in developing and coordinating basic CVD thus reducing incidences of health disparities in heart-related conditions. CVH effectively works in three settings including communities, worksites, and healthcare as a means of decreasing health disparities such as improving the quality of heart disease and stroke care indiscriminately. CVH further increase control of high blood pressure and cholesterol as well as attempting to eliminate disparities in terms of race, ethnicity, gender, geography, and social status. ADPH encourages Alabamians to focus and implement health system changes, community interventions, and health communication programs to reduce and prevent health disparity. The department also encourages Alabamians to understand the risk factors and allows people who are Medicare eligible to ask for free screening for conditions such as pre-diabetes.

Moreover, ADPH mobilizes the community to overcome challenges and barriers to disease prevention and tends to fight ignorance and complacency related to various conditions such as HIV. The department also increases awareness about the severity of many epidemics and explain the impact conditions such as HIV have in the Alabamian communities and make sure that prevention services, testing, medical care, and treatment are available to all. ADPH works with Alabama’s State Perinatal Program and the Office of Minority Health works to tackle health disparity of infant mortality and low birth weight conditions that have marred the state for many years. Inadequate health coverage including uninsured and underinsured plays a major role in creating health disparity but Alabama health centers act as a primary source of care for much low income and uninsured people.

Regarding mental illness, the Alabama Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation (ADMH) has taken significant measures to reduce the stigma and build on efforts to reach young adult communities through the media. ADPH has also opened a statewide campaign that provides services to adults suffering from mental challenges. ADPH is working hard to disseminate statewide community outreach and events to inform the public about health care challenges. ADPH uses local media to publicize its activities and programs and provide staff support, facilities, and participants for community events. They organize health screening, physician consultations, and interactive sessions on nutrition and physical activities as well as collaborating with many organizations that provide incentives.

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