The Target Population for the Health Promotion Plan - Essay Example

?Health Promotion Plan Population and Problem The target population for the health promotion plan are African Americans aged 55 years and above who live in Dallas County, Texas. The major health concerns for this group are reflected on the mortality data from the Healthy People 2020 statistics. According to the HealthyPeople.gov (2012), the top 10 causes of death per 100,000 population of African Americans/Non-Hispanic Black aged 55-64 years are: malignant neoplasms (450.1), heart disease (382.6), cerebrovascular diseases (83), diabetes mellitus (79.3), accidents (49.5), nephritis (42.7), bronchitis/emphysema/asthma (38.1), septicemia (31.6), HIV (30.8), and hypertension (23.4) (n.p.). Compared to the mortality rates from all races, deaths from malignant neoplasms are higher among African Americans as the mortality rate of malignant neoplasms from all races is only 321.2; meanwhile, hypertension is cited as the 10th most common cause of death among African Americans and the ever-present predisposing factor for diseases of the heart, cerebrovascular diseases, diabetes, and kidney diseases (HealthyPeople.gov, 2012, n.p.). With the identification of hypertension as the problem of the population or the underlying determinants of certain chronic diseases, health promotion will be geared towards addressing hypertension among African Americans aged 55 years and older, promoting multi-sectoral policies and programs to improve health and reduce health disparities, and educating the public about evidence-based interventions to prevent, treat and control hypertension. In addition, it is easy address hypertension than malignant neoplasms among African Americans as hypertension is a modifiable, controllable risk factor. Objective In the Healthy People 2020 Objectives for heart disease and stroke, a 10-percent improvement from baseline is set to determine efficacy of health promotion, intervention, or treatment. The proportion of adult African Americans who died from hypertension is 23.4; thus, the main objective of this paper is to reduce the proportion of adults (aged 55 years and older) who died from hypertension from 23.4 to 21.1 (HDS-5.1). Aspects of Collaboration To prevent hypertension and promote health, collaboration from government, local community, clinicians, other health care professionals, nurse-managed hypertension facilities, public health workers and community outreach workers, and patients is a must. Each of the following care professionals has their own aspects of collaboration of how to promote health and prevent hypertension. Government agencies are responsible for implementing policies and programs to address hypertension and in funding for the general health of the population. Community aspects of collaboration include civic, philanthropic, religious, and senior organizations that could provide locally focused orientation to the health needs of the diverse target population. Clinicians and other health care professionals influence or reinforce instructions to improve patient lifestyles and blood pressure control. Nurse-managed hypertension facilities also contribute to better hypertension control. Public health nurses and community outreach workers screen, identify cases, refer and track follow-up appointments, and educate patients. Meanwhile, patient is at the central core of collaboration as their motivation and compliance to treatment facilitate better blood pressure control and reduction of incidence of hypertension. Therefore, collaborative groups’ shared roles in preventing hypertension and promotion of health include reinforcing awareness of hypertension risks, conveying the importance of blood pressure management, and educating effective lifestyle interventions, pharmacologic therapies, and treatment adherence (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2004, 62). . Organizational/Policy Changes The Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion stated that health promotion action means building healthy public policy which puts health on the agenda of policy makers in all sectors and at all levels, directs awareness of the health consequences of one’s decision, and accepts responsibilities for health (WHO, 2012, n.p.). In order to be successful, health promotion about hypertension must be supported with legislation, fiscal measures, taxation, and organizational change that foster greater equity. One of the organizational changes that should be implemented for an effective health promotion plan is the development of communications infrastructure. Health promotion involves health education and information must be relayed with clarity to the public. This is one of the advantages of having a communication infrastructure. In addition, communications infrastructure link public health agencies at all levels, tribal and other governmental agencies, private sector and broad community into unilateral action towards better blood pressure control (CDC, 2010, 8). The public health infrastructure should also be subjected to change in order to provide leadership and develop effective partnership when needed. Giving power to public health leaders will not only increase partnerships among people but will emphasize policy, environmental, and educational changes needed to prevent hypertension and promote health. Meanwhile, policy changes for successful hypertension prevention and health promotion include: development of policies among food industry to increase availability of lower sodium food products and to provide educational programs for consumers regarding portion size and heart healthy food choices (NIH, 2002, 13); policy development on staff training and standardization of preventive strategies for hypertension; proposing a policy on adopting a universal criteria and standards for population-wide health data sources and implementation body; and developing a policy uniting global health agencies or media and public health communities in order to provide the same information about hypertension to the public and avoid confusion due to conflicting media reports (CDC, 2010, 9-11). Political Changes/Funding Political changes are one of the most influential factors to consider in conducting a health promotion plan. A health promotion planner must identify state and federal government policies covering the target population in order to increase the likelihood of political support and funding. In addition, a health promotion plan for hypertension should be design in way that will show program sustainability, better program objectives to meet limited resources, and clarity of the types of actions required (Garrard et al., 2004, 92). Health Promotion Plan Grid Program Goal To reduce the incidence of mortality associated with hypertension among African Americans Target Population Adults aged 55 years and older Objective 1 To reduce the proportion of adults who died from hypertension from 23.4 to 21.1 (10%). Objective’s Impact Indicators: mortality rates due to hypertension of 100,000 African Americans Data Collection Methods: Pre- and post-survey Interventions Target Group/Population Time/Facilitator Funds Other Resources Blood pressure screening, assessment of high risk groups 80% of adult population Public health nurses and community outreach workers ----- ----- Advertising campaign of the importance of blood pressure management 80% of adult population Project facilitator and local government (3-6 month campaign) Printing production, media hours Public and private transport vehicle Community seminar Adult African Americans with heart, cerebrovascular, and kidney diseases and those with diabetes; obese, smokers, men, and women Community health center staff, rehabilitation nurse, nutrition educators and clinician (Dates) Materials for the seminar, tools/equipment, and refreshments. Local college, local government programs, public transport Initiating “Eliminate Hypertension: DASH Diet Day” in the community Adult African Americans with heart, cerebrovascular, and kidney diseases and those with diabetes; obese, smokers, men, and women Project facilitator with coordination from local government (Dates) Public and private transport vehicle Local government, participating food industries, rotary and other clubs Multisectoral partnership State and federal government and private and public financing Managerial and governmental staff ----- ----- Collaboration Government, local community, clinicians, other health care professionals, nurse-managed hypertension facilities, public health workers and community outreach workers, and patients Managerial and governmental staff Local government, health care professionals, volunteer institutions Staff training Delivery of preventive care ----- ----- ----- Pooling resources and partner agencies ----- ----- ----- ----- References Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2010). A public health action plan to prevent heart disease and stroke (p. 1-53). Retrieved on June 20, 2012 from http://www.ph.ucla.edu/hs/hs_422_w05_Public%20Health%20Action%20Plan-CDC.pdf Garrard, J. et al. (2004). Planning for healthy communities: reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes through healthier environments and lifestyles (p. 1 -123). Melbourne: Victorian Government Department of Human Services. Retrieved on June 20, 2012 from http://www.health.vic.gov.au/healthpromotion/downloads/healthy_communities.pdf HealthyPeople.gov. (2012). Health disparities: Black, non-Hispanic, 55-64 years, both. Retrieved on June 20, 2012 from http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/chart.aspx?raceId=7&ageId=9&genderId=3&race=Black%2c+non-Hispanic&age=55-64+years&gender=Both National Institutes of Health (NIH). (2002). Primary Prevention of Hypertension: Clinical and Public Health Advisory from the National High Blood Pressure Education Program (p. 1-17). Maryland: NHLBI Health Information Center. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2004). The seventh report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (p. 1-66). Retrieved on June 20, 2012 from http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/hypertension/jnc7full.pdf World Health Organization (WHO). (2012). Health Promotion. Retrieved on June 20, 2012 from http://www.who.int/healthpromotion/conferences/previous/ottawa/en/index1.html Read More