Wondering How To Make Your COMMUNITY HEALTH PROBLEMS Rock? Read This!
Community Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
Our surroundings, including our neighborhoods, play a significant role in determining our health. Individual health and lifestyle are influenced by various factors, including work, family life, education, and access to services. In addition, people's health behaviors are also influenced by the health messages they receive in their own "world," which is close to home. As a result, numerous witnesses argued that community-based, workplace, and school-based interventions Community Health Problems could be practical tools for achieving the Year 2000 Health Objectives.
This premise was accepted by many testifiers, who then focused some, if not all, of their proposed goals on interventions in schools, workplaces, and other community settings. They talked about programs that have been put in place to deal with common health issues that people in these settings face.
Substance abuse, AIDS, and teen pregnancy are schools' primary concerns.
Still, testimony also highlighted the health-enhancing potential of education programs on nutrition, physical Fitness, mental health, and general lifestyle awareness and skills for behavioral change. Screening for chronic diseases and programs to deal with smoking, food, and stress are the most critical issues in the workplace. Programs that target substance abuse and the prevention of chronic diseases, as well as ways to make them culturally relevant to the community they serve, received particular attention from testifiers in the community.
Implementation issues, such as the content of health education programs, financing issues, and service coordination, cross the three settings in addition to the needs and suggestions that are unique to each. These are discussed in the chapter's conclusion.
Go to:
Health Promotion and Education in Schools Many people say that school-based health promotion projects have a lot of potentials and a lot of need. Thirty-four focus on health education Health Issues in schools and another 135 mention the need for school-based health education interventions concerning a particular issue or special interventions for children and adolescents.
The American School Health Association (ASHA) comprehensively evaluates the opportunities and requirements for school health programs. Healthy lifestyles, chronic and episodic illnesses, emotional and behavioral issues, visual and auditory impairments, eating disorders, nutrition issues, teenage pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and dental issues are among the problems that school-age children face.
"The school, as a social structure, provides an educational setting in which the child's total health during the impressionable years is a priority concern," says the solution to these issues.
Regarding the number of children that can be reached, this setting is the only setting that matches the school. As a result, numerous witnesses perceive the school as the community's focal point for health planning. 196) The ASHA proposes specific goals for routine hearing, vision, and dental screenings in light Global Health Issues of this orientation; scoliosis; high cholesterol levels; and levels of Fitness;
care and health education programs for students who have problems or illnesses that last a long time;
School nurses' availability and professional preparation;
establishment of school-based primary health care clinics;
breakfast and lunch programs at schools;
curriculum, class time, and teacher professional development in health education;
programs and tests for physical education that emphasize cardiovascular Fitness and sports for life;
programs for mental health that teach how to manage stress, develop prosocial behaviors, and control stress and violence;
a healthy school environment and the provision of worksite health promotion programs for faculty and staff. 196) School-Based Health Promotion Testifiers believe education must begin in schools to achieve many goals. However, significant improvements are required for school health programs to accomplish this. There is a need for more comprehensive curricula, more time spent on health education, better teacher training, and better access to students' health professionals and services. Many school-related activities are seen as unsuccessful without the involvement and support of parents.
William Kirby, the Texas Commissioner of Education, writes:
Most of the burden of educating children about the physical, emotional, social, and financial risks associated with health issues like drug abuse, school-age pregnancy, AIDS, and smoking falls on American public schools. We accept this responsibility but know that education systems cannot handle the task independently. We are indebted to the federal government for its assistance with initiatives like the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act, the Surgeon General's comprehensive report on AIDS, and federal funding for disadvantaged and disabled children's educational opportunities.
We are grateful for the financial and philosophical support, and we hope that federal, state, and local governments will continue to work together to improve health and education. We all want our children to have bright futures and live long healthy lives. 305) A lot of testifiers suggest ways to enhance the health education system so that it can deal with adolescent health issues more effectively, including environmental health issues; training on how to be a responsible and active patient (#105); issues like being exposed to television, "latchkey children," and being homeless (#198); Programs to prevent suicide (#500; #) 731); and dance and art therapy to alleviate stress and encourage creativity (#477; #). 595).
Concern about the ability of teachers in elementary and secondary schools to teach about health topics lies at the heart of these particular programs.
The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction's Chet Bradley writes:
The institutionalization of high-quality health instruction at the elementary level will never occur unless there is a significant shift in the professional training of elementary teachers in the health field. Therefore, investing in outstanding teachers is the most meaningful and efficient long-term strategy for successful school-based prevention and health promotion efforts for our youth.
A proposal for elementary school teachers to be trained for a three-year master's degree in elementary health education is included in his testimony. 593) The American School Health Association agrees Public Health Issues with Bradley that non-specialists conduct the majority of health education with poor training, devote far fewer than the 50 hours required for success, and view health education as secondary to their primary responsibilities. Additionally, these educators need access to the other advantages of a comprehensive school health program. As a result, health education in schools typically fails. 055) Some witnesses called for using behavioral teaching models that have been proven to work. For example, the National Education Association states:
Simple facts presentation and scare tactics do not change attitudes or behaviors.
Regardless of race, religion, or economic standing, young people believe in their invulnerability and that "it" won't happen to them. For a preventive health curriculum to be effective, it must rationally challenge this notion of invulnerability and cultivate a youth culture that encourages healthy behavior choices. 059) In a similar vein, Michigan's Wayne County Intermediate School District's Kenneth Kaminsky states, "The most successful programs today employ the social competency or 'life skills' model." Communication, assertiveness, resistance, peer selection, problem-solving and decision-making, critical thinking, making low-risk choices, self-improvement, and stress reduction skills are all emphasized in this model. 426)
"Social competency development programs emphasizing cognitive and social problem-solving skills, perspective taking, and coping skills should be provided to all children as a part of their educational opportunities," says David Groves of Comerica Incorporated. 075) According to Williams, "educators, parents, school boards, administrators, and communities" as well as teacher preparation institutions and the medical community must collaborate on a comprehensive preventive health curriculum in schools. 059) The support of the entire community is necessary for a school health promotion and disease prevention program to be successful.
When more sensitive issues like AIDS education and school-based or school-linked reproductive health clinics for teenagers are addressed, community involvement is essential. However, in all health programming, Kirby emphasizes the need for local discretion.
We believe that school-based clinics should be set up and maintained following the particular requirements and values of the local community.
They should work in conjunction with other health services that are already in place. It is indispensable for school-based clinics to be overseen by the campus administrator directly and to have a lot of leeway at the local community level. It is unlikely that programs will be successful if they are not backed by and in line with local standards. 305) The fact that not all adolescents attend school long enough to benefit from school-based programs is one drawback.
The nation's schools exclude a significant number of children of school age.
They are either working, escaping, or in jail. As a result, the health goals for school-age children lack sophistication and are unrealistic. They have only concentrated on children who are either enrolled in school or have access to what is known as "school site health education." 055) Specific Issues and Interventions A lot of the testimony about school health issues was about specific interventions. The most frequently mentioned programs were those that improve mental health, nutrition, and physical Fitness and prevent AIDS, teen pregnancy, smoking, and other forms of substance abuse.
Nutrition Testifiers proposed various nutrition goals, many of which are intended to guarantee participation in the cafeteria and classroom education.
Additionally, several witnesses emphasized the necessity of a nationwide system for monitoring the nutrition status of school-age children; With this, it will be easier to set goals. The Nutrition Education and Training (NET) Program, established Community Health Problems by an act of Congress in 1977, was mentioned by many of those who testified regarding nutrition education. "To teach children the value of a nutritionally balanced diet through positive daily lunchroom experiences and appropriate classroom reinforcement, to develop curricula and materials, and to train teachers and school food service personnel to implement nutrition education programs" is its goal (#). 161) Witnesses indicated that this program ought to be bolstered and, in some instances, expanded.
"Integrating nutrition concepts into other curricular areas as appropriate, for example, biology, elementary language arts, mathematics, home economics, and social studies," advocates one testifier, Carol Philipps, who represents the Midwest Region NET Program Coordinators. 590) Other people put a lot of emphasis on keeping public and private school lunch and breakfast programs, as well as summer food programs, going. They argue that many children require school meals to eat a diet balanced in nutrients.
Physical Fitness
The focus of the discussion on physical Fitness is involving children in vigorous health-fitness activities and preparing them for later healthy physical activity habits.
For instance, the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (AAHPERD) believes that a sound educational program is the only way to fully and appropriately incorporate physical activity into one's life. 596) According to Brian Sharkey of the University of Northern Colorado and others, one of the current issues with physical education programs is that physical fitness tests given to students often dictate, at least in part, the curriculum's content. As a result, it's critical to choose fitness tests that will encourage the desired behaviors. He gives the example of the health-related fitness test that AAHPERD developed as superior to the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports (PCPFS) athletic skills test.
He states that, regrettably,
"well-meaning school teachers see the glitter and polish of the PCPFS award system" and disregard the AAHPERD fitness test. According to Sharkey, this hinders the development of a unified health and fitness program in American schools. 363) Other people talk about the need to combine physical education with other programs that are related to health. For instance, the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston's Guy Parcel discusses the Go For Health program, which aims to lower cardiovascular risk factors among elementary school students.
To "create an environment supporting healthful diet and physical activity practices," this program makes organizational changes to the school lunch and physical education programs. Classroom instruction and theory "consistent with the school environment" are added. "1 (#295) Charles Kuntzleman of Fitness Finders argues that increasing the amount and duration of existing physical education programs may not address the issue of today's children's poor physical condition. According to Kuntzleman, record keeping, roll call, listening to instructions, waiting for one's turn, and general management comprise 75% of a typical physical education class. The child devotes only 25% of their time to motor activities. 121) Mental Health Numerous witnesses emphasized teaching children about mental and physical health. These programs have the potential to address a wide Global Health Issues range of issues, including the management of stress and the prevention of adolescent suicide.
The American School Health Association emphasizes the crucial role that a school can play in fostering a child's mental health and developing life skills.
The ASHA believes a school health education curriculum should include stress management as an essential component. 196) Gaffney discusses suicide and the possibility that a teacher can identify a child considering suicide. "Teachers are the children's first line of defense because they see behaviors before even parents do on occasion," she argues (#). 731) The school environment is also crucial for dealing with problematic personality traits. According to Bruce Dohrenwend of the Columbia University School of Public Health, the school is an excellent place to provide "training and orientation toward mastery and control" because problematic dispositions can be "laid down early in life." 729) Reproductive Health and Family Planning Many testifiers support including family planning classes in the general health curriculum for schools.
In addition, they agree that sex and reproductive health education should begin early in school. Most testifiers believe that ignorance of pregnancy and AIDS outweighs concerns regarding sex education, although they acknowledge the sensitivity of these issues and parental concerns.
Deborah Bastien of Galveston,
Texas, believes that the high teenage pregnancy rates are a sign that efforts to provide education and services are not working. She emphasizes the disparity between the rates of adolescent pregnancy and abortion in the United States and other industrialized nations and concludes that the higher rates of both in the United States are not caused by increased sexual activity but rather by a lack of access to contraceptive services and sex education. "U.S. public policy still focuses on preventing sexual activity among teens," despite this (#) 236) University of Michigan professor Sylvia Hacker agrees with this position: Adolescents are willing to take risks, so promoting abstinence as the only option will not work." She suggests that, instead, sex education could assist adolescents in understanding that there are a variety of possibilities for expressing one's sexuality, not just sexual activity. 406) The Clackamas County Department of Human Services in Oregon's Jackie Rose offers the following social reasons for teenage pregnancy: We see teenagers whose ability to have children is one of their strengths. She argues that to alter these attitudes:
Teen pregnancy prevention programs and comprehensive, coordinated programs for teen parents are required to assist them in recognizing other options.
We need to develop ways to keep teens in school, like teaching them and their families how to succeed and making health services that make it as easy as possible for them to use; that is, providing services in school-based health clinics where teens are. We need a goal to reduce the number of teenage repeat pregnancies (#). 343) According to Susan Addiss of the Quinnipiack Valley Health District in Connecticut, essential questions are when and how family planning education should begin. Addiss urges "most strongly that an objective be developed concerning some desired percentage of the nation's school systems having comprehensive family life education curricula in place by the year 2000" (#) even though "there is controversy about the content and timing of such education in communities around the country." 460)
The National Parents and Teachers Association also backs school-based sex education and says that "schools and other public agencies and organizations must undertake this education" (#) because few parents talk about it. 578) In a similar vein, Texas community school nurse Cathy Trostmann thinks that sex education should begin Public Health Issues in the child's first year of school and be presented at a level and in a manner that relates to the child's level of development. However, she argues that parents should be able to "give their instructions in the home with guidance provided by the school system" if they choose (#). 302) The American School Health Association recommends school-based intervention programs for reducing teen alcohol and substance abuse and teen pregnancy.
ASHA says that these programs need to cover more than just education in the classroom.
Providing multiple channels is the most effective strategy for reducing adolescent pregnancy and the prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases among adolescents: professionals in education and health care, parents, and peers. An example of a supplement to instruction intervention that has been shown to reduce adolescent pregnancy is the utilization of school-based clinics, school-linked clinics, and school- and community-based education programs. 232) Providing clinical services is essential to successful adolescent reproductive health intervention programs. ASHA cites studies that show widespread support for school-based clinics and programs that have demonstrated dramatic efficacy in preventing teenage pregnancy in preliminary evaluations2. (#232) AIDS Education Although the ideal content of AIDS education programs is contentious, most witnesses who address this issue call for aggressive school education. The number of clinics across the United States has increased from one in 1970 to 120 in 1988.
"I took the position that we do not give people an option for their children to commit suicide," writes Wayne Teague of the Alabama Department of Education when asked whether parents or the school system should decide the content of an AIDS education program. 675) even though HIV/AIDS education is now required in Alabama state schools, Ralph DiClemente of the University of California, San Francisco, claims that few school systems offer HIV/AIDS education as part of a formal curriculum and that even fewer have evaluated program effectiveness across the nation. 273) According to DiClemente, programs to prevent AIDS ought to "encourage health-promoting behaviors and eliminate or reduce high-risk sexual and drug behaviors." It is impossible to coerce adolescents into altering their behavior patterns. 273) However, there is a lack of information regarding the epidemiology of behavior among at-risk groups, which makes HIV education difficult.
According to Lew Gilchrist of the University of Washington,
There is a lack of baseline data regarding the actual use of condoms among particular groups, including adolescents. These programs must be based on understanding the fundamental behaviors and attitudes of at-risk populations to provide an adequate education. 691) Substance Abuse, Alcoholism, and Smoking Some testifiers support early, school-based prevention programs for substance abuse, alcoholism, and smoking. For instance, the National Association of State Boards of Education claims that:
Beginning in the fourth grade and continuing through graduation, there should be a particular focus on alcohol and drugs.
A substance abuse prevention program must provide precise information. This includes understanding physiology, high-risk groups, high-risk situations, the prevalence of drug and alcohol use, the influence of family, peer pressure, stress, the function of the media, and cultural norms. 573) According to Kaminsky, students now consider schools the primary source of anti-drug information. Therefore, schools must offer a program to educate adolescents and Community Health Problems influence healthy lifestyle choices. He describes a substance abuse program with a grade-specific curriculum, in-service teacher training, child counseling, parent education programs, peer leadership, and liaison work with community service providers, parent groups, and the media.
About Us
Our Mission
We're Hiring!
Resources
Tutorials
Brand Assets
Contact Us
321-555-5555
info@
Proudly built with Strikingly