Implementing Plans to Achieve Community Health

Planning is critical in health promotion and in the achievement of community health. However, implementing the laid down plans is very essential in achieving good general health for the community. It is critical to lay down action plans that can be easily monitored to ensure that positive results are being achieved (Turunen et al., 2017). Various challenges, including poverty, poor nutrition, lack of access to quality healthcare, poor health habits, lack of physical exercise, drug and substance abuse, and obesity, plague the African American communities in Akron. This predisposes a majority of the individuals there to several health complications, such as diabetes and kidney diseases. It is critical to implement an action plan to promote community health and monitor the plan to ensure that a difference is being made.

The Perkin family is one of the families living in Akron. Like other underprivileged African American families living there, they face many challenges that greatly affect their overall health status. One of the key roles in implementing any action plan is identifying the target population and the major health challenges they face (Darlington et al., 2018). It is vital to assess a community’s needs as this will be critical in the implementation of the action plan. This should be closely followed by the recruitment and involvement of people highly regarded in the community and passionate about health promotion (Waters et al., 2018). The use of easily identifiable people creates acceptance and active participation towards the program by community members.

Another key action plan is ensuring that individuals develop their skills. One key challenge in Akron facing health promotion is poverty and the use of drugs and other substances. Among the Perkin’s family, a low socio-economic status has been shown to greatly increase the risk of their child developing malnutrition. Perkin and his wife Flora were also observed to be obese, chronic alcohol and tobacco users. This can be attributed to the lack of jobs leading to increased hours of idle sitting and providing an avenue to indulge in alcohol. Obesity and alcohol greatly increase the risk of developing health complications. Encouraging social support networks ensures that everyone retains their social identity while at the same time receiving material support, including foodstuffs, services, information, and social contacts (Jung et al., 2017). Developing skills that enable individuals to seek and create employment opportunities is also key. These go a long way in promoting health in the community.

Reorienting the provision of health services is also key in health promotion as it alters the focus of the health sector from focusing only on clinical and curative services to the promotion of health and the prevention of diseases (Thompson et al., 2018). Reorienting health services requires the health sector to become involved in initiatives and programs that seek to promote community health. These programs include immunization initiatives, screening for various illnesses, and encouraging individuals to quit alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs while also losing weight. Initiatives such as free screening will go a long way in ensuring that people get access to health care that would have been impossible due to their low socio-economic status. Encouraging people to quit alcohol and other drugs is also key to health promotion.

The identification and engagement of partners can go a long way in promoting health in the community (Brunton et al., 2017). Engaging partners such as business organizations, non-profit foundations, local authorities, and religious groups is critical. These organizations can run food donation programs that go a long way in countering malnutrition among the community emanating from poverty and low socio-economic status. The organizations can also conduct and fund the education of several individuals in the community, consequently eradicating illiteracy which hinders health promotion. Organizations such as religious institutions can run rehabilitation centers that provide the social and emotional support required to encourage people to quit alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs (Cislaghi et al., 2019). They can also play a major part in reducing the incidences of violence witnessed in the community. Implementation of the above can go a long way in encouraging health promotion.

It is important to track the progress made to identify if steps are being made in the right direction. Assessing the number of individuals participating in health education programs and other skill development initiatives is critical. It is also vital to know the number of individuals taking part in screening and other risk assessment initiatives (Breda et al., 2017). The number of individuals signed up for health promotion and disease prevention initiatives should also be noted down to assist in the assessment. The number of stakeholders taking part in the initiative should also be recorded. It is important to highlight the contribution of each of the stakeholders. Finally, it would be important to know the number of people in the community who are aware of the various programs and the intensity with which they would like to apply the acquired knowledge and skills.

Assessment of individuals would also be key in determining whether the action plan is achieving its intended results. Mr. Perkin and his wife Flora are obese, chronic alcohol users, and smokers with a child at risk of malnutrition. After implementing the action plan, it is critical to assess whether a change is observed in them. Measuring their income attainment ability after providing skills is key in determining whether they are in a better position than before. Measuring their current weights to determine whether they are following the health education they have received is key in measuring the effectiveness of the action plan. Determining whether there is the continued use of both alcohol and tobacco is key in pointing out whether the rehabilitation initiatives bore fruit. The assessment of the child’s nutritional status is another pointer of whether the action plan has assisted in promoting health in the community.

In conclusion, health promotion is key in the community. Overcoming obstacles such as poverty, illiteracy, violence, lack of access to quality health care, alcoholism, and drug use requires a collaborative effort among various stakeholders in the community (Yadav et al., 2020). The establishment of action plans and the subsequent implementation of the action plans goes a long way in health promotion. It is the responsibility of each one of us to play a part in promoting healthy living practices in our communities. Taking part and contributing towards initiatives promoting health care is key in ensuring that everyone gets access to quality health care despite the various obstacles facing health promotion.

References

Breda, J., Jakovljevic, J., Rathmes, G., Mendes, R., Fontaine, O., Hollmann, S., & Galea, G. (2018). Promoting health-enhancing physical activity in Europe: Current state of surveillance, policy development and implementation. Health Policy, 122(5), 519-527.

Brunton, G., Thomas, J., O’Mara-Eves, A., Jamal, F., Oliver, S., & Kavanagh, J. (2017). Narratives of community engagement: a systematic review-derived conceptual framework for public health interventions. BMC Public Health, 17(1), 1-15.

Cislaghi, B., & Heise, L. (2019). Using social norms theory for health promotion in low-income countries. Health promotion international, 34(3), 616-623.

Darlington, E. J., Violon, N., & Jourdan, D. (2018). Implementation of health promotion programmes in schools: an approach to understand the influence of contextual factors on the process?. BMC Public Health, 18(1), 1-17.

Jung, H., von Sternberg, K., & Davis, K. (2017). The impact of mental health literacy, stigma, and social support on attitudes toward mental health help-seeking. International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, 19(5), 252-267.

Thompson, S. R., Watson, M. C., & Tilford, S. (2018). The Ottawa Charter 30 years on: still an important standard for health promotion. International Journal of Health Promotion and Education, 56(2), 73-84.

Turunen, H., Sormunen, M., Jourdan, D., von Seelen, J., & Buijs, G. (2017). Health promoting schools—a complex approach and a major means to health improvement. Health Promotion International, 32(2), 177-184.

Waters, E., Gibbs, L., Tadic, M., Ukoumunne, O. C., Magarey, A., Okely, A. D., & Gold, L. (2018). Cluster randomised trial of a school-community child health promotion and obesity prevention intervention: findings from the evaluation of fun ‘n healthy in Moreland!. BMC public health, 18(1), 1-16.

Yadav, A. K., Baruah, M., Rahman, N., Ghosh, J., & Chaudhuri, S. (2020). Relationship of socio-economic inequality and overweight with non-communicable diseases risk factors: A study on underprivileged population. Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care, 9(12), 5899.

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