Healthy people 2020 plan of action contains a set of national goals and objectives for improving the wellbeing of the community. On the other hand, leading health indicators communicate high priority health issues. Also, leading health indicators communicate the actions that can be taken to address health issues. Further, they are organized to cover twelve priority areas such as access to health services; environmental quality; maternal and child health; reproductive and sexual health, substance abuse, nutrition, physical activity and obesity, injury and violence and social determinants. In addition, the indicators motivate the action to improve the health of the community.
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First, access to quality reproductive and sexual health is crucial for general wellbeing. The services include pregnancy prevention, HIV and STD testing and treatment, screening and prenatal care. Further, reproductive and sexual health services address other health needs such as screening for partner violence, provides substance abuse treatment, counseling on nutrition and physical activity. It is intended to reduce the rate of infant and maternal morbidity and mortality cases. For example, health departments have introduced projects to address the number of induced birth outcomes.
Good oral health is necessary for physical, social, mental and spiritual wellbeing. For example, oral infections are associated with several morbidity cases in the United States. Other leading health indicators include the objectives that advocate. First, it is advocated to increase the daily intake of greens especially among the aged group. Further, the objective advocates the increase of daily consumption to about 1.1 cups per 1,000 calories.
Secondly, almost sixteen percent of the total populations of children in the United States are obese. Healthy 2020 people target to decrease the problem by ten percent or more. Therefore, leading health indicators clearly stipulate to reduce the teens, children and adult obese people. Also, in 2007 the rate of suicide among the Americans was 11 per 10000 populations. On the other hand, the leading health indicator target to reduce the suicide rate in the US by achieving ten percent improvement.
Moreover, health indicators are organized to reduce injury and violence cases. For example, the statistics indicate that more than 180,000 people in the US die every year from injuries. Sadly, some of the common injuries are preventable. Therefore, leading health indicators advocate for reducing fatal injuries. The health indicators target to reduce fatal injuries to fifty three percent per 100,000 people.
Healthy people 2020 will be determined by the proportion that has access to medical insurance. The health indicators advocate for health insurance coverage for all Americans. For example, the United States Census in 2012 indicated more than twelve million people were not insured. Further, tobacco control goal in the leading health indicators advocate decreasing the rate of adult smoking by twelve percent. For example, more eighteen percent of the adults in the United States are smokers.
The tobacco control program in California has saved more than one million lives. Despite the progress, the program face challenges such as conducting outreach in the rural area and few public health staff to implement the program.
Achieving the healthy people 2020, it is important to address physical activity among Americans. In the leading health indicator, the goal addresses increasing physical activity and muscle strengthening. Therefore, health organizations, public health officers, and other must create awareness to achieve the value of health indicators.
References
Healthy People 2010: final review.. (2012). Hyattsville, MD: U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics.
Leading health indicators for Healthy People 2020 letter report. (2011). Washington, DC: National Academies Press.
The state of Victoria's children's 2009: Aboriginal children and young people in Victoria.. (2010). Melbourne: Dept. of Education and Early Childhood Development.
