Work3Class3

The health statistics of a part of a country often mirrors the situation of the country. The statistics of individual elements build up the numbers for the entire population. Comparison between the two often shows a lot of similarities. In any statistical research, biases and inaccurate analysis methods occur, hence there is a need to continually review and research on the findings that are made available. The advocacy for health promotion in populations is often marred with a lot of barriers. Disease prevention also experiences this challenge. It is because there is no one-size fits all approach to these issues. Populations are different hence; all the initiatives to be tried on them require being tailor-made for them. James Island has had various initiatives implemented to solve its primary healthcare concern. It is a unique community which is experiencing growth in its younger population. The efforts required should fit the diverse population experienced in this community.

Statistics comparison between James Island and the U.S

The primary health concern for James Island is lifestyle diseases. Most children were found to be obese (Sahoo.et.al. 2015). Smoking is also rampant in this community. There is a high risk of developing lifestyle conditions including diabetes and high blood pressure. It is alarming due to the high prevalence. Over 30 percent of deaths, which are often premature, are caused by these poor habits.

Lifestyle diseases are among the top ten leading causes of premature deaths in the U.S. According to the Center for Disease Control, tens of thousands of deaths are caused by poor choices such as smoking, drinking, and inactivity every year. These are staggering statistics. The researchers found that about 92000 early deaths from heart disease could be saved. The heart diseases are caused by eating too much processed and oily food. Lack of exercise also largely contributes to heart diseases. They also determined that about 84500 deaths due to cancer and 29000 caused by respiratory infections are also preventable (Mozaffrian.et.al. 2015). The diseases are caused by smoking. A change in lifestyle will ensure that the diseases do not occur. South Carolina, where James Island is located is one of the eight states that have the highest death rates from the lifestyle conditions.

With the data between James Island and the general population of the U.S, it is evident that the primary health concerns are similar. Most of the people in the two are affected by the lifestyle conditions. Also, the people die prematurely due to factors that are highly preventable. In both, the obesity problem majorly affects children (Sahoo.et.al. 2015). Smoking-related issues are manifested in the adult age group since they are legally allowed to smoke by law. Researchers say that modifiable habits cause these problems. The population should be encouraged to live healthier lives by avoiding smoking and drinking. They should also exercise and eat healthy diets. Policies and programs to ensure that healthy habits are embraced should be formulated and implemented.

Epidemiological concepts and data analysis used

Epidemiology involves the study of how often diseases occur in a population and the reasons for the occurrence. The concept employed here is the population at risk. The people who have been treated for smoking-related cases in James Island were studied, and the ratio of the smoking to non-smoking population was determined (Mozaffrian.et.al. 2015).The BMI measurements for children were also used which concluded that a great number of children were obese in this area.

The data analysis methods employed in the study are quantitative. Analysis of the data from the hospitals and healthcare centers was done. It revealed the prevalence of smoking-related conditions, which was in turn interpreted as having a high population of smokers. Surveys were also conducted in the area to get actual responses from people. Narrative analysis was then employed to get results. The responses were analyzed in line with the research questions. Flaws that were noted in the data from the hospitals and health centers were not very detailed. It is due to the doctor-patient confidentiality hence not all the information could be released for analysis.

Factors affecting health promotion and disease prevention

James Island has experienced growth in population from younger people. They are moving to the area in search of education. Smoking and drinking are highly prevalent among younger people (Mozaffrian.et.al. 2015). The primary reason is due to peer pressure. Most young people want to seem cool among their peers. They will, therefore, engage in such practices so that they are acceptable to their group. It is a problem that is affecting health workers working towards the promotion of proper health practices. The students are at high risk of getting the lifestyle diseases that will compromise on their quality of life. Most of the students have grown up in other states that may have a high rate of smoking. Therefore, getting them to change may be a problem.

Southern Carolina natives are passionate about their food. They are famous for Beaufort Stew (Fraser.et.al. 2016). It is made up of a variety of meats and carbohydrates. It is also very high in calories. Due to the proximity to the ocean, a lot of seafood is incorporated into the diets. Therefore, the food culture in this state is very unhealthy.

For this reason, most of their children are obese. It is due to the food that their parents feed them. It is according to the culture of the South Carolina natives, James Island included (Fraser.et.al. 2016) .Health workers find it difficult to penetrate and change the mindset form the culture. People accustomed to this way of eating also find it very hard to improve their feeding habits and explore healthier options for food.

Health care initiatives

In order to address the healthcare concern for James Island, healthcare tents were deployed outside the hospital to cater to the community. They were to cater to the chronic illnesses caused by smoking. Most people from the community were seen entering the center. Social services also worked, and they worked with vulnerable adolescents to assist them. They offered counseling services to the children.

Recommendation

Based on the research, the healthcare initiative to be implemented should involve a lot of door-to-door sensitization. The healthcare workers should visit homes and inform people about the dangers of improper lifestyle choices. They should also plug into various school and community events to ensure that they sensitize people on the dangers of smoking and how to avoid the habit. In addition, they should also print out pamphlets for distribution to the community. With such a widespread campaign, proper information on the dangers will be spread and more lives will be spared.

Conclusion

In conclusion, lifestyle is essential to the health of an individual. By choosing proper practices, one is likely to enjoy a long and diseases free life. Most lifestyle diseases are avoidable. By adopting healthy practices, conditions such as diabetes and heart diseases can be kept at bay. Avoiding smoking can also be a great deal in helping the population to prevent lung diseases. The community in James Island is affected by lifestyle conditions because of their unhealthy habits. They should, therefore, be encouraged to embrace a healthier lifestyle to improve their life expectancy. Health workers should seek ways to educate the population on the ease of avoiding the lifestyle conditions.

Reference

Fraser, A., Chao, M. G., Amella, E. J., & Mueller, M. (2016). Cooking Healthy, Eating Smart: A Strategically Timed Formative Evaluation of a Community-Based Nutrition and Food Safety Program for Rural Older Adults. Journal of Extension, 54(3), n3.

Sahoo, K., Sahoo, B., Choudhury, A. K., Sofi, N. Y., Kumar, R., & Bhadoria, A. S. (2015). Childhood obesity: causes and consequences. Journal of family medicine and primary care, 4(2), 187.

Mozaffarian, D., Benjamin, E. J., Go, A. S., Arnett, D. K., Blaha, M. J., Cushman, M., ... & Howard, V. J. (2015). Heart disease and stroke statistics—2016 update: a report from the American Heart Association. Circulation, CIR-0000000000000350.