Assignment

1 Using the health issue you identified in your epidemiological analysis (shown below labeled as unit 2), identify at least 5 risk factors associated with your that health issue.

2 Using the risk factors associated with your health issue, write 1-2 program goals and 3-5 objectives for each goal.

3 For each of your program objectives, please identify an educational intervention you would use to address the objective. Explain in detail what you would do, all learning activities and information presented must be cited. If you plan to conduct an educational presentation, please put it in PowerPoint format. Everything else can be explained within a MS Word document.

4 Identify which health promotion behavioral theory you would base your program on and explain why.

Unit 2 health issues

Chronic diseases are the leading causes of morbidity and death in union County Georgia. Some of the chronic diseases that lead in death rates include heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, and chronic respiratory diseases. Obesity is a serious health concern the increases the risk of other chronic diseases (CHRR, 2014). A good proportion of UCG's population is obese with about 30% of adults 18 years and older being obese and about 12% of high school student aged between 14-18 years. Among the chronic diseases, cardiovascular disease was the leading cause of death accounting for about 35% of all deaths in Union County Georgia. Death rates resulting from cardiovascular disease were high among men than among women and higher for blacks than for whites (CHRR, 2014). Most of those who died from these diseases were also below the age of 65. Generally speaking of all the chronic diseases then females were likely to suffer more than one chronic disease than the males. Adults with public health insurance were also more likely to suffer one or more of the chronic diseases.

Most of the chronic diseases are caused by lifestyle people choose to live or by their preferred diets. Diet and eating habit are risk factors for most of these chronic diseases and therefore must be looked into. Taking obesity and stroke for instance, they are both caused by taking high fat foods and lack of physical exercise (OMMQT, 2014). High fat foods are usually cheap and readily available thus the habit of taking high fat foods often can be attributed to laziness or low socio economic status to afford the healthy food on a daily basis. Smoking lack of physical exercise, poor eating habits, obesity and diabetes are all risk factors for most of the chronic diseases which results in death and morbidity. Some of the cardiovascular diseases that often lead to hospitalization include heart disease, type II diabetes and stroke with heart disease being the reason for a majority of chronic diseases admissions.

Cancer is also a major cause of death in Union County Georgia and is among the chronic diseases. Cancer is caused by so many factors but still diet comes in among the many factors some of which include the genetics. Among the residents of Georgia there are about 100 new diagnosis of cancer reported daily with the exception of skin cancer and carcinoma. Prostate cancer among men and breast cancer in women are the leading types of cancer diagnosed in this community (UCB, 2014). Leukemia cases are the least heard of though they also exist among the residents here.

Health Needs Assessment in Union County Georgia

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in Union County Georgia after heart disease. The burden associated with cancer can be used by appropriately using mammography, colorectal screening and early detection examinations. Most residents are unable to access the health facilities for early detection examination because they lack medical cover and are publicly insured only for some diseases excluding most of the chronic diseases. Cancer can however be prevented by reducing or stopping tobacco use, improving diet and increasing physical activity. The community should come up with ways that can help them identify the actual causes of death in order to implement plans to prevent the disease, and also identify the modifiable factors that can be modified to reduce the likelihood of occurrence of the disease. The community needs more education on cancer causes and screening methods. There is need to check the chemical content in the air to ensure that the air is safe for the residents. Chemical emissions into the air can be cancerous to the residents therefore the amount of chemicals emitted should always be regulated. Lower rates of screening as a measure for early detection of cancer can be explained by the fact that very few residents of Georgia are able access insurance. The community should put in some more effort to ensure that insurance is available for all the residents.

Heart disease and cardiovascular diseases are the leading causes of death and often affects adults aged 65 years and older. Cardiovascular diseases can result from modifiable risk factors such as high blood pressure, tobacco smoking, poor nutrition and obesity among others that can be impacted by the community outreach healthcare programs that focus on prevention and detection. There is need for more education and community awareness as it regards some of the risk factors related heart disease, stroke and other chronic diseases. Diseases like obesity and diabetes can also be controlled at the community level by ensuring that the high fat foods are not readily distributed in the community. Community members should join hand to promote healthy diet by advocating for healthy foods other than the high fat and high cholesterol foods.