Reforming the health care system needs feasible and achievable prevention approaches. An all-inclusive health care reform plan that focuses on equity, prevention and transforming the community environments can greatly ease the financial and social burden linked with treating injuries and illnesses.
The first prevention approach involves community health programs.
Community-based health care programs play major roles in improving health by preventing injuries and diseases and, hence, enhancing the quality of life. Since important and vibrant interrelationships exist at multiple levels of personal, environmental, institutional and policy health determinants, community health programs are likely to succeed in making the wellness and health of individuals at all levels better. Furthermore, such programs are intended to reach people outside the traditional health facilities environment. Such settings include worksites, recreational places, schools and communities at large. With the available social structures, reaching people becomes easier. The time taken and resources utilized to provide health care is greatly minimized while at the same time maximizing impact (Harris, 2010). Therefore, community health programs can lead to improved health behaviours that eventually lead to better health outcomes.
The second prevention approach involves building and implementing healthy food service programs and policies. The emergence of healthy food service programs and policies is a force to reckon with in the strategies of improving the general health and wellness of individuals. The program has motivated public and private sector organizations to increase accessibility to healthy foods and beverages. The common objective of the program is to increase accessibility to nutritious foods while reducing the consumption of junk food which poses serious health risks (Weiss, Mora, Abram, Gottlieb & Karpyn, n.d.). Focusing on healthy food services presents a chance to develop the food environment where most people spend their days. Practicing healthy eating habits will most likely lead to improved health behaviours and, therefore, better health outcomes.
References
Harris, M. J. (2010). Evaluating public and community health programs. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Weiss, S., Mora, G., Abram, J., Gottlieb, Y., & Karpyn, A. (n.d.). Building and Implementing healthy food services. The Food Trust. Retrieved June 11, 2014, from http://thefoodtrust.org/uploads/media_items/healthyfoodservices.original.pdf
