Assignment: Public Health Education Flyer/Press Release

Discussion Week II: Heath Promotion across Prevention Levels

Primary level

At the primary level, the program’s title would be “Racial/Ethnic Differences in the Percentage of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Cases Attributable to Overweight and Obesity”. The program’s target population is pregnant woman, Asian, black, American Indian and Hispanic. The goal, although non-Hispanic black and American Indian women may benefit the most from pre-pregnancy reduction in obesity, interventions other than obesity prevention may be needed for women from other racial/ethnic groups.

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), defined as carbohydrate intolerance leading hyperglycemia fist recognized during pregnancy, is associated with increased risk for pregnancy and delivery complications, including cesarean section, infant macrosomia, and neonatal hypoglycemia. The estimates of the prevalence of GDM among pregnant women in the United States range from 3% to 7%.  Most women in who, GDM is diagnosed do not continue to have hyperglycemia after delivery.

In the United States, similar to racial/ethnic differences in type 2 diabetes, the risk of developing GDM is highest among Asian (particularly South Asian), black, American Indian, and Hispanic women and these differences do not appear to be fully explained by differences in pre-pregnancy body mass index. Florida is the fourth most populous US state and has high racial/ethnic diversity, making it a good source of data for studying racial/ethnic variations in the contribution of BMI status to GDM risk. 

Grand funding for this program at the primary level is essential. Not only can it save one life but two. It will help target this population of woman and help prevent them to getting to this stage in their pregnancy. It will help develop good programs and have well educated individuals educate them in every aspect to help them prevent GDM.  

Secondary level

At the secondary level of prevention, the program’s title would be “Breast self-examination. The program target 20-60 years of age. Secondary prevention are those preventive measures that lead to early diagnosis and prompt treatment of a disease, illness or injury to prevent more severe problems developing. Here health educators such as Health Extension Practitioners can help individuals acquire the skills of detecting diseases in their early stages.

As a heath care worker, I have been in the field for over ten 10 years and have seen so many different cases and situations. The recommended age to get a mammogram is 45 years old or older. I honestly have been getting mammograms since I was 15 or 16. The reason being is because I fibrocystic breast. Fibrocystic breast is a noncancerous change that gives breast a lumpy or ropelike texture.

I once had a case of a 22 year old with breast cancer, and I also had a close friend/ school mate who was my age at the time 24 or 25 who was diagnose with breast cancer. Goals of the program are screening mammography saves lives, as well as to find cancer at its earliest stage and before spreading. My belief is as well as HIV does not have a face, cancer does not either. The only difference is we can prevent from getting HIV but cancer is like walking on egg shells. At this point of era we can live longer with HIV then we could with cancer.

The organization should spend the grant funding on developing the program because this will help to provide education awareness involving high educated professionals and help the best research company in finding a cure for breast cancer.

Tertiary prevention

Those preventive measures aimed at rehabilitation following significant illness. At this level health services workers can work to retrain, re-educate and rehabilitate people who have already developed an impairment or disability. The program title would be “Addicts helping other addicts”. The target population would veterans and young age adults.

I myself am not a veteran, but I have friends and relative who are. As well as I come from an alcoholic and drug abuse family, so I can relate and educate on this topic. The programs goal is for those addicts who have being totally recovered to help other recover. What better than someone who have been in your shoes and knows what is like to help you overcome this problem or sickness.

Sometimes we see someone at a street corner or intersection asking and begging for money or food and we tend to ignore or as I have heard people say “go work like I do”. Most of this people are veterans, yes veterans who went to the Vietnam War and fought for your life and mines and are now facing a mental health problem and the only thing that eases that pain or memory is alcohol or drugs. There are a lot of programs and help but we also have to remember there are millions of people facing the same issue. Here in Florida if you don’t have a good health insurance or your families are not wealthy enough you will not get into a good program and get clean. As a veteran there is a waiting list for the services. Many will ask how I know this information. Well I have been in the health field for many years and working for a neurosurgeon is like working for pain management. As well as I have family members who are so into drugs that we have tried to help but can’t get them into a good rehabilitation facility because is over 10 to 20 thousands of dollars.

The organization should spend the funding on developing this program because this will help those who want to change their lives and don’t have the financial resources to do so. The funding will prepare those who are willing and ready to help others achieve more then what they ever imagine.

Reference

Kim, S., England, L., Sappenfield, W., Wilson, H., Bish, C., Salihu, H., & Sharma, A. (2012). Racial/ethnic differences in the percentage of gestational diabetes MELLITUS cases attributable to overweight and OBESITY, Florida, 2004-2007. Retrieved March 12, 2021, from  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3406742/

Baker, J. (n.d.). Disease prevention and healthy lifestyles. Retrieved March 12, 2021, from  https://courses.lumenlearning.com/diseaseprevention/chapter/three-levels-of-health-promotiondisease-prevention/

 

Cottrell, R., & McKenzie, J. F. (2010). Health Promotion & Education Research Methods: Using the Five Chapter Thesis/Dissertation Model. Jones & Bartlett Publishers.