Health issues in the community

Charity Zrust

Substance Abuse is a top health issue in my Minnesota community. According to the County Health Department, the age bracket with the highest rate of drug abuse in my county is 18-25 years old. A few ways to improve substance abuse issues at the population level include providing awareness and education resources about the dangers and risks of substance abuse, collaborating with other healthcare professionals to create and implement evidence-based interventions, and advocating for policy changes. Minnesota has a wide variety of services available for substance use treatment, assessment and withdrawal management for adults and adolescents. Fast-Tracker is an online resource for Hennepin County residents to search for programs and services individualized to their needs (Hennepin County, MN). 

Mental health issues are another common problem according to colleagues in my community. Mental health issues are prevalent in many communities and as an ongoing struggle for populations nationwide. The COVID-19 pandemic encased the world with worry and fear on numerous matters, such as personal safety, job security, and lack of effective vaccine or treatment, to name a few. These issues take a toll on one's mental health within many populations. According to Hossain et al. (2020), depression, substance abuse, anxiety disorders, and increased suicidal tendencies follow natural disasters and economic crises. If similar patterns apply to the COVID-19 pandemic, the general population's mental health will continue deteriorating and further strain the healthcare system.  

At the system level, interventions to address substance abuse in Hennepin County, MN, could include recovery services and increasing access to evidence-based treatment such as 12-step programs and medication-assisted therapy, implementing policies in providing education and resources to healthcare providers and reducing access to substances, especially at the adolescent level. At the community level, interventions could include creating support groups for individuals and families affected by substance abuse, providing health education and resources to the public, and collaborating with community organizations to develop and implement evidence-based interventions. Minnesota Recovery Connection is a recovery community organization with a mission of healing the recovery community through peer-to-peer support, advocacy, and public education (Minnesota Department of Resources). 

 

 

                                                                            References 

Hennepin County Minnesota. (n.d.).  https://www.hennepin.us/your-government/research-Links to an external site.   data/public-health-dataLinks to an external site.  

Hossain, M. M., Tasnim, S., Sultana, A., Faizah, F., Mazumder, H., Zou, L., McKyer, E. L. J., Ahmed, H. U., & Ma, P. (2020). Epidemiology of mental health problems in COVID-19: a review.  F1000Research,  9, 636. https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.24457.1 

Minnesota Department of Health (n.d.).     https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/opioids/countyprofiles/hennepin.html    

Minnesota Department of Resources. (n.d.). https://mn.gov/dhs/people-we-serve/adults/health- care/alcohol-drugs-addictions/programs-and-services/ 

Stanhope, M., & Lancaster, J. (2020).  Public health nursing: Population-centered health care in   the community (10th ed.). Elsevier. Ch.11 pp. 231-254.