Infant Mortality in Maryland - Essay Example

RUNNING HEAD: Maryland ISSUE IN FOCUS: Infant Mortality in Maryland Prince Georges County of Submission ISSUE IN FOCUS: Infant Mortality in Maryland Prince Georges County Community Boundaries Maryland is a state located in the mid Atlantic region of the United States. It has been observed as the free land that rests within the borders of Virginia. It stretches towards the borders of West Virginia and Columbia to the south and west while it remains within the area towards Pennsylvania in the North. Demographical Data Noted to be among the largest populated states, Maryland holds at least 5,615,272 of the overall population of the United States as noted in the drafted table below: Demographics of Maryland (csv) By race White Black AIAN* Asian NHPI* 2000 (total population) 66.99% 29.02% 0.76% 4.53% 0.12% 2000 (Hispanic only) 3.73% 0.51% 0.10% 0.06% 0.02% 2005 (total population) 65.29% 30.16% 0.76% 5.30% 0.13% 2005 (Hispanic only) 5.01% 0.61% 0.12% 0.09% 0.03% Growth 2000-05 (total population) 3.06% 9.89% 5.73% 23.72% 16.27% Growth 2000-05 (non-Hispanic only) 0.76% 9.57% 2.48% 23.38% 13.02% Growth 2000-05 (Hispanic only) 42.16% 27.78% 27.26% 48.06% 32.49% * AIAN is American Indian or Alaskan Native; NHPI is Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander Education The community concentrates on biological studies aiming to continuously increase the process of understanding that the people have towards their health and their capabilities of remaining healthy beyond all the pressures brought about by a fast paced life that the area demands of its people. Economy According to reports, Maryland is considered to have the highest household income of any other US State garnering a GDP of at least $68,080 in the year 2007 which notes the capability of the community to handle the financing needed to complete the projects and programs needed to be provided to the society. ASSESSMENT PROPER: Introduction One of the most important factors considered in community healthcare issues is the factor concerning mortality rates. This issue is much intertwined with the healthcare provisions that local governments are able to provide to their territories of concern depending on the population rate of the place (Johnson, 2005: Internet). Certainly, when it comes to smaller states, this issue is given a high regard as it also determines the capability of the local government to give the needs of their people. When it comes to mortality rate issues, this mainly concerns the ability of the states to hold their capability on providing community health care especially to the newly born. From this point, it could be accepted that this factor could also help evaluate the strengths and the weaknesses of the local government of the community in providing ample support to the healthcare needs of the entire society. In this regard, the infant mortality rate of Prince Georges County in Maryland shall be examined to be able to notice the problems and the weaknesses of the community health care provisions in the said place as they are marked by health statistics to be among the counties having the lowest mortality rates in the United States. Background of the Issue The drop-down of the infant mortality rate in Maryland determines the need of the said state to improve their health care facilities as well as their health care processes. It has been mentioned through reports that in the year 2000 that the infant mortality rate in the said county has dramatically fallen down to as low as 7.4 deaths in every one thousand live births (HD, PGC, 2003: Internet). This decline of infant's life span stretches to both the white and the black communities of the said state. Because of this situation, an issue against the healthcare processes practiced within hospitals in Maryland specifically in Georges County has been questioned as to how the healthcare givers are able to apply the right procedures in giving care to the newly born babies. Among their concerns, also include issues on giving proper nursing aide for the new mothers who are supposed to be taught to take care of their young ones. This is mainly the reason why the author of this paper chose to work on this issue, to be able to examine the reasons behind the said failure of healthcare procedures as well as facilities in the said Maryland. With the statistics and reported incidents of death among the newly born, It is quite obvious that there is much needed improvement in this side of the healthcare provisions in Maryland. This way, the author aims to suggest ways by which Prince Georges County in Maryland could be able to improve their service to the people and thus improve the infant mortality rate in the said place through improved healthcare system. Data Presentations According to reports, there are three major reasons why infant mortality rate has dropped in Maryland. The presentation to be discussed herein has been gained from Parris N. Glendening and his colleagues' journal entitled "Infant Mortality in Maryland 2005." In their formulated table entitled Infant Neonatal and Post Neonatal Mortality Rates, there is quite an obvious difference on how the black infants have had a high survival rate compared to that of the white infants. Not based on racial disparity, but the county report shows that the majority of the population in the county belongs to the black American population. (Gelendening, 2005: Internet) However, behind all these reports, there appears to be several main sources or causes of infant deaths. Among the top three causes mentioned in reports are "short gestations, congenital anomalies and sudden infant death syndrome or SIDS" (Gelendening, 2005: Internet). Along with these, some minor causes on the other hand include pregnancy and maternal complications during and after giving birth. Most likely, these causes could have been controlled, "if the cases of health problems especially with the pregnant mother has been given attention at once by the county's healthcare givers" (Chapman, 54) . Possible Nursing Interventions As mentioned earlier, complications especially with regards to prior pregnancy situations could be controlled well. Hence, if the right procedures are to be applied, it could be sensed that the infant mortality rate in Prince Georges County could rather be alleviated. This could be done though the application of Orem's Nursing Model, which simply refers to "self-care theory" (Chapman, 1997: 46). This self-care theory could be taught through community healthcare meetings. These meetings could include inviting pregnant women as a part of the agenda. It has always been true that an ample education of what is considered needed especially in a community, saves the whole society from a great cause of worries. Certainly then, if the pregnant women would be able to recognize the importance of self-care in their situation, then they would become more aware of what they should do while carrying their babies in their uterus through a nine-month long duration. By doing so, the mothers would have an ample assurance that what they are doing is right and these procedures could help them and their babies survive the challenges of giving birth. Along with this, the nurses who are supposed to teach the mothers of the procedural matters of taking care of themselves and their babies as well should make it a point that they too are giving personal concern to their pregnant patient's personal needs. Learning need not be stressful on their part, rather, it has to be accommodating and much comfortable for the pregnant mothers, thus giving them ease and the feeling of assurance of a safe delivery of their babies. Conclusion Giving a nursing care especially to pregnant mothers is indeed not an easy task. It does not simply deal with the physical health of the patient but with the emotional situation of the patient as well (Chapman, 1997: 88). This is mainly because of the fact that whatever the mother feels during pregnancy may affect the child both physically and mentally. Hence, to increase any place's infant mortality, it is necessary to imply the need of teaching the mothers of the right procedures of taking care of themselves while they are still carrying their young in their womb. Through the teaching programs that would be scheduled for the said mothers, it should indeed occur to these patients how important it is for them to take care of themselves while taking care of their babies within them. Thus, they are encouraged to ask help from community nurses whenever needed for their own good. BIBLIOGRAPHY Parris N. Glendening, Governor, et al. (2005). Infant Mortality in Maryland 2000. http://72.14.253.104/searchq=cache:Te8wtH70v5gJ:www.dhmh.state.md.us/pdf/infantmortrate.pdf+Infant+Mortality+in+Maryland,+Prince+Georges+County&hl=tl&gl=ph&ct=clnk&cd=2. (March 26, 2009). Health Department, Prince Georges County. (2003) 2003 Quick Health Stats. http://www.princegeorgescountymd.gov/Government/AgencyIndex/Health/pdf/QuickStats.pdf. (March 26, 2009). Johnson, Jack. (2005). 2005 Legislative Agenda. http://www.goprincegeorgescounty.com/Government/LegislativeAffairs/pdfs/2005legislative_agenda.pdf. (March 26, 2009). Chapman, Audrey. (1997). Health Care and Information Ethics. Sheed and Ward Publishing Company. Kansas City. Read More