Community Health Assessment Chronic Disease

Question: Discuss about theCommunity Health Assessment for Chronic Disease. Answer: Introduction Social and economic status of the African Americans in the country is very low and a very high percentage of these people live under poverty and low level living conditions. It is quite understandable that there are serious health problems in this community. The major health issue found in this community is Diabetes. Rate of type II diabetes is two to six times higher in African American community in comparison to white communities. Therefore, paper will discuss the how diabetes is a critical health issue and what are the different contributing factors. Paper will also discuss the nursing intervention for community health and how these interventions can be expanded. Factors Contributing to Diabetes in African Americans Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects the insulin production in the body and increases the sugar level. The most common form of Diabetes is type II diabetes, which is also associated with high cholesterol, obesity, high blood pressure. People suffering with diabetes are at the risk of heart diseases, kidney failure, and also renal diseases. Compared with Caucasians, African Americans are almost twice as likely to suffer from type 2 diabetes and to experience diabetes-related blindness and lower-limb amputations, and two to six times more likely to have kidney disease (Brewer-Lowry et al, 2010). The low income and poor African Americans are more vulnerable to diabetes and other health complications associated with it. Some of the most significant factors affecting the health of African Americans and increasing the prevalence of diabetes are low socio-economic status, racial discrimination, lower access to healthy food, obesity and physical inactivity (Xanthos, Treadwell Holden, 2010). Problem of obesity is most significantly associated with insulin resistant and type II diabetes. Due to low socio-economic status, people are not able to live in healthy living conditions. The annual income of the African Americans is 75% less than Whites. African Americans get the lower income jobs due to lack of high level education, which also increases unemployment in the community. Lower access to healthy food and more intake of junk food increases body weight and obesity. Improper nutrition, excess of body weight and sedentary lifestyle increase prevalence of diabetes (Leger, 2010). Therefore, African American community has to face the heavy burden of diabetes. Current Intervention for Diabetes Prevention Among African Americans The health care related interventions are aimed towards improving the quality of care offered to the African Americans, which includes medical care as well as self-care. Diabetes Prevention Program is being carried for controlling diabetes and many health issues associated with it. The current interventions under this program include the screening and diagnosis of the disease in high risk population. The people diagnosed with obesity or high blood pressure are being recommended for diabetes test. Current interventions also include community educational programs for increasing diabetes related awareness among African American communities. Another current intervention is Healthy People 2020, which is mainly designed for minority communities like African Americans. The primary aim of this program is to reduce the high incidences and prevalence of chronic diseases like diabetes. Under this program, an exercise program and Eat Smart, Move More initiative has been implemented in the Africa n-American community in the North Carolina region. The local health care services are providing educational sessions to minority people to make them aware about the programs. The role of nursing is very significant in current interventions. This is because nurses are the first contact with the high risk population. They can help people to increase their health literacy and remove the communication barriers. Nurses can help the socially vulnerable population with primary care strategies. Better nurse-patient communication can help patients to understand severity of disease, treatment, and importance of adherence to treatment. Nurses play a significant role in health care promotion, as in the current interventions related to exercise and diet improvement programs, nurses can help people to understand the importance of programs through educational sessions, important images and educational videos. (Maurer Smith, 2013). Recommendations for Future Interventions The community based intervention for the diabetes prevention has to be substantial and replicable. The community based interventions can significantly help in improving the behavior and health outcomes. The conventional ways of health promotion can be improved by applying unconventional ways of education components and behavior theories. For the racial and ethnic communities and for those who have lack of access to appropriate healthcare, community health workers can play significant role. According to the study of Treadwell et al (2010), future directions include the need to further establish and refine community collaboration building and partnership development activities with local organizations and agencies to support health promotion and disease prevention targeted to African Americans. The recent evidence based studies have recommended that diabetes control interventions should include lifestyle interventions. The study also states the group based interventions (Paulweber et a l, 2010). According to the study of Lemacks (2013), interventions related to improvement in diet and physical activities can help in disease prevention and health promotion among African Americans. The evidence based study of Xanthos, Treadwell, Holden (2010) suggest that gender specific interventions are also found to be successful in African Americans. Health care providers should be trained for providing gender specific care to target men and women separately for better quality care. For improving the current interventions related to diet improvement, For self care or self management of diabetes, the intervention should include home visit by healthcare professionals (Spencer et al, 2011). The population focused interventions can bring significant changes in the health of people and can also encourage self care. References Brewer-Lowry, A. N., Arcury, T. A., Bell, R. A., Quandt, S. A. (2010). Differentiating approaches to diabetes self-management of multi-ethnic rural older adults at the extremes of glycemic control.The gerontologist,50(5), 657-667. Leger, E. (2010). Prevalence of diabetes in African-American communities: Risk factors and prevention as a social disease. Lemacks, J. (2013). Interventions for improving nutrition and physical activity behaviors in adult African American populations: a systematic review, January 2000 through December 2011.Preventing chronic disease,10. Maurer, F. A., Smith, C. M. (2013).Community/public health nursing practice: Health for families and populations (5th ed.). St. Louis, MO: W. B. Saunders. Paulweber, B., Valensi, P., Lindstrm, J., Lalic, N. M., Greaves, C. J., McKee, M., ... Sheppard, K. E. (2010). A European evidence-based guideline for the prevention of type 2 diabetes.Hormone and Metabolic research,42(S 01), S3-S36. Spencer, M. S., Rosland, A. M., Kieffer, E. C., Sinco, B. R., Valerio, M., Palmisano, G., ... Heisler, M. (2011). Effectiveness of a community health worker intervention among African American and Latino adults with type 2 diabetes: a randomized controlled trial.American journal of public health,101(12), 2253-2260. Treadwell, H., Holden, K., Hubbard, R., Harper, F., Wright, F., Ferrer, M., ... Kim, E. K. (2010). Addressing obesity and diabetes among African American men: examination of a community-based model of prevention.Journal of the National Medical Association,102(9), 794-802. Xanthos, C., Treadwell, H. M., Holden, K. B. (2010). Social determinants of health among AfricanAmerican men.Journal of Men's Health,7(1), 11-19.