Improving Health Inequities
Health inequities refer to the systematic differences in the status of a given population. The youth population of the age between 6 and 12 present in the Bronx, District 4, faces various health inequities. Majority of the teens of the mentioned age tend to engage in premature sex, which leads them to encounter health inequalities relating to pregnancy, HIV/AIDS, and obtaining sexually transmitted infections. Other inequalities include the huge variation in mortality rates between the youths and the elderly individuals in the Bronx. Reduced life expectancy among the youths of the mentioned age is also a pressing health inequality. Statistics from ASHNI score indicated that there was a high requisition for sexual health academic program for individuals of this age group. This finding came in light with the prevailing high cases of adolescents engaging in premature sexual intimacies that lead to increased number of individuals infected with AIDS, early pregnancies, and sexually transmitted diseases (New York State, par.9).
Identify health inequities for youth in grades 6 through 12.
Children between the age of 6 and 12 also encounter various health disparities in Bronx. They are also faced with increased cases of HIV/AIDS, which they obtained from childbirth. A high tuberculosis case among the children in this age group also happens to be a health inequity affecting them.
Teen Outreach program will be of benefit to the existing youth group in Bronx, which faces challenges of health disparities given their increasing rate of engagement in premature sex. The program focuses on preventing adolescent or youth risk behaviors in the society. Engaging the population in context in this program would mean that the whole community is combined to obtain service learning. This idea ensures that the adolescents obtain adult guidance and support, which will be of necessity for them to obtain knowledge regarding sex. Additionally, the program deems beneficial to the youth group because it entails the component that the participants will engage in learning about community service. This tactic will involve a minimum concentration of 20 hours in every academic year. This move will help shift the concentration of the adolescents from sex to serious activities that will be of benefit to the existing parties. The program is also the best for the affected youths because it will provide room for them to interact positively and address the impending issue of early sexual relations among the children between the ages of 12 and 21. Additionally, the existence of an appropriate staff that has obtained supplemental training will ensure that they administer the program efficiently to an extent that there will be the realization of change (Office of Adolescent Health, par. 12).
Discuss how the evidence-based model is appropriate for the stage of development, gender, gender identity and other characteristics of the priority population to be served.
Evidence based model is appropriate for the development stage because it helps provide information of a child’s readiness for alterations. This advantage comes in light with the use of the phases of change model. This ideal allows for the consideration of evidence, which gives an inherent feedback concerning the daily progress of the youths in context. Evidence based practice is also appropriate for the evaluation of the gender that is mostly affected by the health inequities that exist in the children of the ages between 12 and 21. This will ensure the concentration of the instructors to the most affected gender and improvise the best techniques to solve the impending health inequities (Bridges and Hauser par. 15-17).
Identify strengths, opportunities, and needs of the proposed communities.
One of the major strengths of the proposed communities is the support from parents and guardians towards the program. It will be an essential part towards the development of their children, and few parents and guardians would opt out of the outreach. The availability of resources for the counselors will be possible through the donations from various individuals in the community. One of the major opportunities is a high number of youths and teenagers in the community, which will enable the program to be a success. Another opportunity is the possibility of expanding the program to other areas. The need demonstrated by the parents, guardians and institutions show the concern over the young generation. It is a high time for the young ones to understand the consequences of their actions.
Discuss the identified community resources currently available for adolescents in the proposed project communities.
Sexual health education is one of the community resources available for the adolescents. In these programs, the adolescents are taught various ways of preventing themselves from sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV and STDs. Apart from that, it provides counseling and treatment to those affected, with the aim of setting the record straight in such matters. Another useful resource is community outreaches by various organizations, which help in reaching out to people at the community level, who do not want to open up about their issues.
Discuss the importance of sexual health education for youth ages 10 to 21.
Educating the youth and teenagers helps them understand the way of life. In most cases, some of them do not understand the consequences of their actions (Bridges& Debra par 7). Hence, they might take matters into their hands when faced with such challenges. The education helps them make important decisions in their lives as they continue to interact with people. Prevention is better than cure and avoiding talking about sex does not mean the young ones will not talk about it. The education helps build the bridge between parents and children, by making them understand that they should talk to each other about such topics (Bridges& Debra par 8). Parents avoid discussing the topic with the young ones, as they fear to expose them to the worldly nature. Regardless of whether they will not hear it from their parents, the young ones will eventually learn it from their peers. Lastly, sex education helps unite both genders, provide ways of co-operating, and make the best out of their partnership. It helps them appreciate and understand each other.
Works Cited
Bridges, Emily and Debra Hauser. "Sexuality Education". Advocates for Youth. 2014. Web. 11 May 2016. < http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/publications/publications-a-z/2390-sexuality-education>
New York State. "New York State Community Health Indicator Reports (CHIRS)". New York State. 2011. Web. 11 May 2016.
Office of Adolescent Health. "Teen Outreach Program (TOP)". Office of Adolescent Health. 2015. Web. 11 May 2016. < http://www.hhs.gov/ash/oah/oah-initiatives/tpp_program/db/programs/ebp-top.html#>
