Polk County Health Improvement Plan Essay

The plan will go through assessment of the community and the problem, and an assessment of resources and gaps. The diagnosis will be the health concern topic of prevention of overweight and obesity through healthy nutrition and physical activity. Planning and implementation will be discussed through identified goals and the planning and implementation of the topic focused objectives. Evaluation of the success of the proposed implementation of the objectives and the tools necessary will be discussed

Background Upson County, Georgia, is the focus of our Healthy People Analysis. It is primarily White and African Amerian with high-home ownership but low valued homes, lower income than most of the state, and over 20% of the population living below the poverty line. Most of the current economic activity comes from tourism, since the manufacturing base left the area over the last two decades. The county shares some of the major health concerns of poorer communities across the nation: high obesity and resultant disease, higher than average type-II diabetes, especially in children; high smoking and substance abuse rates; and a low level of adequate services and transportation to those services to help the problem (Upson County, Georgia, 2012)

Cancer has been the leading cause of death for Volusia County since 2006, with heart disease at a close second. The county’s age-related death rate from cancer is 182.3 per 100,000 people as compared to the state’s total of 160.4, and the national average of 179.1 (Fl Dept of Health). Volusia also has a greater rate of adolescent cigarette smokers, the state average being 6.1%, and Volusia County being 8.3%. Volusia County’s adult smoker population also is greater than the state average, 23.3 vs. 17.2. Volusia residents suffer from heart disease greater than most other Florida counties. In 2012 there were 112.7 deaths per 100,000 people as apposed to the state total of 103.5 and the national total of 179.1. Another concern is with the growing obesity population in which comes with it increased risk for hypertension, heart disease, and many other diseases. Both the county and state totals are approximately 82% higher than the national rate. A group of Volusia County residents, called Healthy Volusia, has made the problem with obesity a top priority (Dept of Health).

Therefore, individual biology and behaviors influence health through their interaction with each other and with the individual’s social and physical environments (Nies, 2015). The Wakulla community express positive and negative behaviors towards health promotion and illness avoidance. According to Florida Charts, nearly two-thirds of White Wakulla County residents have had a medical checkup in the past year and 80% of adults in Wakulla County have some type of health insurance. However, one quarter (26.5%) of Wakulla County residents report they are currently smoking. For this reason, community/ health nurses must reinforce positive behaviors in the community to prevent

The objectives for the Healthy People 2020 program include desired progress in nutrition and weight issues, and there are few communities in the country that do not need to pay a significant amount of attention to these problems (Healthy People, 2012). New Jersey is actually faring better than many states across many indicators, including overall obesity, however overweight and obesity as well as the behaviors that place people at risk for developing obesity are still major problems for adults and for children in communities across the state (CDC, 2012; Manalapan Board of Health; New Jersey Department of Education, 2010). Addressing childhood obesity in a manner that corrects problems from the outset and that teaches preventative methods in a proactive attempt to reduce both childhood and adult obesity levels is a key concern of Manalapan Township, specifically, and this issue is examined further in the following pages.

One of the more serious problems that the Southeast Queens Community is facing is obesity. Obesity has led to many other health concerns in this community such as Type 2 diabetes , heart disease, stroke, and even certain cancers. This presentation looks into who is at risk, and why? And what can be done to help this community.

Nationally the obesity rates have increased 7.2% in females and 29.1% in males over the last twenty years. (Healthy People 2020, 2010) In San Diego, the Health and Human Services Department (SDHHSA) has identified that obesity is an area of focus with a goal of reducing the problem by 20% by 2010 and currently that 34.4% of the county’s population is classified as overweight and 22.1% is obese with a BMI greater than 30. Other findings reveal that there the problem is disproportionally larger in the Hispanic, African American and low income communities. (Appendix 1. Figure 5 & 6) Although San Diego boasts of a climate that encourages outdoor pursuits and an abundance of recreational spaces and parks, 13.9 % of the population report no physical activity and that 25.5 % of children do less than an hour of physical activity daily, which corresponds with a threefold increase in childhood obesity in the last 30 years. Statistical data points to greater consumption of fast food in areas where obesity is highest and that Retail Food Environment Index (RFEI) which is the ratio of grocery stores and availability of fresh produce to fast food and convenience food outlets are higher in areas where obesity levels are greater than the county norm. B3. Heath Concern:

Like all counties in California, Riverside County focuses on improving the health of its community and implementing programs to reduce morbidity and mortality rates. Riverside County according to 2010 census data has a total population is 2,189,641, but since 2014 the new estimated population is 2,329,271(Census Bureau, 2014). The total population has increased by 6%, yet people are still dying by diseases that can be prevented. This paper will analyze the health outcomes of Riverside County.

Obesity in America is real and profoundly alarming when you look at the major impact it has on our communities. Major health concerns like diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure cases are at an all time high. Specifically, the disparity between low-income urban inner cities in regards to obesity as compared to more upper class wealthier communities makes you take pause. This relates to my professional goals of going back into my community as an activist and organizer of issues related to my environment, like health and education.

Twenty one point seven percent of Mississippi’s ten to seventeen year old population is currently obese. Obesity in any area, regarding age, is a problem. Childhood obesity needs to be addressed first, because reducing the amount of obese residence in Mississippi would subtract from the adult obese rate. Obesity causes so many health problems that children should not be experiencing at a young age (“State of Obesity”). Childhood obesity has been casting a dark shadow over Mississippi for a very long time; taking lives and causing diagnoses every day, therefore childhood obesity is a problem that needs to be fixed.

As previously determined, multiple risk factors contribute to a person developing cardiovascular disease. For further discussion, obesity will be the primary risk factor discussed due to the high obesity rate in the county I currently reside in. Guernsey County, Ohio, boasts an alarming high rate of residents who lack sufficient physical activity at 83.3%. This is an alarming finding but one that arguably contributes to the obesity rate of Guernsey County’s population at 30.2% which is just above the national percentage of 28.1% in America (city-data.com, 2014).

The aim of this policy proposal is to address the importance of creating an early intervention program to reduce childhood obesity. This prevention plan will be conducted within the cities of San Pablo and Richmond in Contra Costa County. It will focus on meeting the Healthy California 2020 goals of promoting health, adopting healthy eating habits, and maintaining a healthy body weight. This proposal will collaborate with local nutritionists and health educators to provide child care centers with the

Often in practice, we as nurses deal with a variety of diseases and treatments and often have to react to the illness that the patient presents with upon our interaction. While this is an essential piece of our practice, we also have a duty to our patients to be proactive in preventing specific health-related consequences based on their risk factors and to promote their health and well being. Health promotion as it relates to nursing is about us empowering our patients to increase their control over their lives and well beings and includes: focusing on their health not just illness, empowering our patients, recognizing that health involves many dimensions and is also effected by factors outside of their control (Whitehead et al. 2008)..

America’s overall health is deteriorating because of the unhealthy food choices people are making. People find food that is affordable and convenient which are also obesogenic and low in nutrients. Obesity can lead to other health problems; for example, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, certain types of cancers, heart disease, kidney disease, and the list continues (NIH par 3). When people consume food, they do not think about the effects that it has to their bodies. If people really care for themselves and the people around them, they should start with their health. People need to pay attention to the food in their bodies and we should start in schools.

People are failing to calculate their total calories intake and participating in everyday physical activities which can help loose weigh and prevent the problem of obesity. It all starts with will power and education when losing weight and avoiding obesity. Not only are adults suffering from obesity but so our children at such young ages. On average 18% of children are obese do to fast food and food advertisements. Schools and the communities have to be self-supporting in making a difference in the nutrition selection and choices of physical education children are provided. Income has an impact on why obesity is high because healthy food cost more than fast food. All in all we do not need to get more food for our money but get healthier food for our body. Low income communities don’t have parks and have many fast-food restaurants which is a manmade problem that can be solved and make a difference in this crisis. Across the nation people need to encourage strategies to these obesity problems within neighborhoods and between one another.