Judith Milien
Argosy University
Family Health Portrait
Essentially, a family health portrait facilitates recording of the family health history, which is a complete record of health information involving immediate members of a person’s family, such as the parents, brothers and sisters, children as well as uncles and aunts among other close relatives. Concerning health, close relatives share some of the factors that may give the lead to health professionals that include genes, shared environments and the ensuing lifestyle for the family. As such, family health history would enable the health professions to determine the genetic medical conditions that run in the families and the probability of members of the family contacting the disorder, for both current and future generations. More importantly, family medical history would aid in zeroing into the persons who runs the highest risk of suffering from lifestyle diseases such as the heart disease, diabetes, and various cancers, among others due to the factor such as age and weight about the family history. Most lifestyle diseases and other common disorder results from genetic patterns, shared the environment and the adopted lifestyles by the family members. Moreover, the discovery of rare conditions such as the sickle cell occurs through the family history information. After generating health information from my family health portrait using an online tool in its website, the study will investigate the output. More particularly, the individual and the immediate family information will form the basis of the first part of the study. After that, the study will investigate the information resulting from an analysis of data collected through "windshield survey". In both cases, the researcher will discuss the strengths and the risk factors. The research will also provide desired personal behaviors and their outcomes as well as the family health goals. Finally, there will be recommendations on proper strategies to meet desired goals by optimizing the application of community resources and the consequential benefits to both the current and future generations.
Summary of self and immediate family assessment
After a comprehensive assessment of my family medical history through continued discussions, several factors came out quite clearly. Firstly, I discovered some inherited risk factors are running in my immediate family. For instance, hemophilia, which is multiple generic disorders that slow the blood clotting functions of the body, had affected members on my paternal side as pointed by Lee, Berntorp, and Hoots (2011). Specifically, persons with the disorder incur prolonged bleeding that leads to slow recovery, especially after undergoing surgery or getting an injury. However, bleeding can also occur in the absence of injury if the hemophilia case is severe where bleeding occurs internally in the brain among other organs. This information was critical to creating awareness to all the family members to take precautions and address any signs of bleeding.
Additionally, there were few cases of Severe Combined Immunodeficiency Disorder (SCID) on my maternal side. This genetic disorder brought by multiple mutation gene and renders, which causes inability to fight any germs as explained by Vickers (2009). Therefore, the family medical history would induce the family members to undergo regular medical checkups to understand the current health status. Subsequently, the medical professionals will advise on best practices to reduce the risks of the two disorders.
Positive health habits my family and I are currently practicing
My family and I have adopted several positive practices that will significantly improve our well being. Firstly, we have planned to take regular checkups such as blood pressure tests and diabetes checks to nip diseases in the early stages as well as benefits from the preventive screening. Additionally, we have resolved to take physical examinations as a family on a monthly basis to understand the current health risks. Consequently, the family can save on medical cost in the long term as the doctor's advice will help in preventing diseases. Moreover, all the family members expressed their commitment to follow the doctor’s advice to avoid future complications.
Health risk factors in my family and me
Most members of my family take alcohol beyond the recommended average drinks. Consequently, they run the risk of developing some types of cancers. More specifically, in the process of digesting alcohol, the body converts it into acetaldehyde, which is potential carcinogen risk. The cancers can affect mouth, throat, and liver among other body parts of the heavy alcoholic as explained by Watson, Preedy and Zibadi (2013). Besides, heavy alcohol reduces the body immunity, which increases the chance of contracting infectious diseases such as pneumonia.
Community Health Portrait
Community health encompasses the health status of a localized group of people in a certain geographical location. Therefore, the portrait concerted efforts to protect the health of the whole community as well as improve the current health conditions. To have a comprehensive understanding of the health issues in the community, modern technology should facilitate in the collection, analysis, presentation and sharing of the community health information and facts. For instance, geographic information system (GIS) software used in the investigation of the large health community data. Thereby, timely interventions are made in the presence of modern technology since it is quick and effective.
Community health is expansive and brings together all the stakeholders such as the government, industrialists, and members of the public, health providers and the scholars to optimize on the output. Therefore, there are continuously training and creation of awareness through various media to upscale the level of public health. Moreover, there are vaccinations and free tests and counseling for such diseases as cancer, HIV/AIDs, and diabetes among other diseases that pose a threat to the health of the community. As a rule, all the stakeholders should be their brother's keeper by maintaining recommended hygiene and environmental cleanliness.
Summary of findings of my community assessment
The study of the community health utilized the windshield survey method to collect data from various institutions in the community. The institutions acted as the community health indicators to assess and recommend the desirable changes in the community. The sampled school in the area of study exhibited a recommendable level of community health since trees surrounded the physical environment and grass covered the playing grounds. Additionally, the classrooms were clean. Therefore, airborne diseases were sufficiently controlled by the school and its immediate environs. The quality of teaching, as well as the partnership with the immediate neighbors in cleaning the environments, indicated conscious efforts to maintain a healthy community. Apart from enabling the student to perform exemplary, these practices will bring up dependable individuals who will join environmental, social groups in the future. Consequently, high community health standards will be a norm.
Additionally, the sampling of health care provided a complete picture of the basic factor of community health. The analysis indicated that there is enough medicine, and the ratio of doctors per 100 members of the community was very high. Moreover, water was adequate, and the level of cleanliness was commendable. However, the prices of medicine were high, which reduced the accessibility by members of the lower economic class. Human and health services are also visible and vigilant in the community in activities covering environment, food inspections, human services and support groups for drug users to list a few. They offer services at affordable prices, and there are the variety of activities to the middle-aged, children and adults. The transport activities are sufficient, safe and accessible to all the members of the community.
Housing has lagged behind other factors of community health. A case in point is high rent due to the immigrants to the cities; this has led to the construction of low quality and unsafe houses in the suburbs. Moreover, the congestion in these regions poses health risks of communicable diseases such as cholera due to low hygiene. Similarly, the economic classes have been divided in the community to "have" and "have-not" on the line of the cost of housing. The high cost of living has marginalized people with low income, as they cannot afford to engage in recreation activities since most of the facilities are privately owned. Hence, the amenities preserve for the rich in the community. Nevertheless, ethnicities and religions are well represented and the members of the community leverage on this diversity to strengthen their social and economic means. Finally, shopping and restaurants/bars are sufficient to cater to the needs and the demands of the community without discrimination. Health support resources provided in my community
There are numerous support resources in my community that can positively affect the health and wellbeing of the people. Firstly, there is up-to-date database that can produce facts and important information. For instance, they can produce the rate of lifestyle diseases as well as facts on risky behavior such as heavy alcoholism and cigarette smoking. Thus, the campaigns in creating social awareness based on these facts and information would yield higher results.
Additionally, the community has well educated medical professionals who can give back to the community through training in conjunction with the health and human services organizations. The social and school halls would offer grounds to educate masses on the ways to prevent themselves from the lifestyle diseases brought by poor choices about diets, inactivity, and failure to follow doctors' advice. Moreover, there are NGOs in the communities that are willing to enlighten the members with health information that would scale down preventable diseases. This would also afford them a chance to advocate for family history programs to minimize the risks of hereditary disorders in the community.
Information is also an important tool in advancing community health. Therefore, the area health officers and environmentalists will give the public directives on the safe disposal of waste materials as well as the importance of planting trees. The local government has a role to play in the community health such as attracting investors in the regions to invest in safe and affordable housing plans. Therefore, they're rich endowments in the community in terms human capital, information and other physical resources improve the health of its residents.
Health risk factors in my community
Despite the countless resources in my community, there are dangerous health risks that may cripple the efforts to improve the health conditions. Firstly, the most glaring risk is heavy pollution from the industries in the community. For instance, the air pollution emits carbon dioxide and the sulphur gasses in the environment. Consequently, carbon dioxide leads to global warming, which raises the temperature and leads to the extinction of some biodiversity that cannot adapt to the changes. On the other hand, sulphur gases leads to acidic rain that kills plants and animals. The gas is also harmful to the lungs, thus, increasing the risks of illnesses in the community. Besides, the industries also direct their harmful wastes to the nearby rivers, which lead to the spread of waterborne diseases such as cholera and other diseases due to water contamination.
Additionally, the congestions in the substandard houses in the suburbs pose health risks to the community due to substandard hygiene caused by unclean clean water in these areas. Similarly, unclean air due to smoke and dump sites in these regions is also a risk factor.
Health Promotion Plan
A health promotion plan predetermines the stepwise course of actions to create a desirable change in the health of an individual or a group of people.
My family health promotion plan
In the case of my family, the plan will address ways to add value to the strengths and eliminate the weaknesses to improve the health of all the members of the family. The first step will be to increase the health budget by 25% to increase the frequency and the number of the test conducted in at given time. Besides, part of the budget will cater for the gym fees to enable the members of the family lose weight and achieve the appropriate BMI. This will, in turn, reduce the risks of heart diseases caused by obesity. Furthermore, the family will update the family health portrait and seek professional advice that will reduce the risks of the genetic disorders that run in the family. Consequently, the family members at high risk will receive advice accordingly on the preventive measures, eating healthy diets, losing weight as well as taking regular checkups to monitor their health.
Additionally, early diagnosis facilitated by the family health history will help cure some conditions that do not heal when conditions are full blown. It is important to note that the family health portrait program enables a person to update the family history, thus, health professions can take the right actions. Thus, when printed, it acts as a reminder of the family to make the appropriate measures to improve their health and overall well being.
The family is also committed to reducing the intake of alcohol and cigarette smoking to improve the welfare of its members. This will take place in several phases. Firstly, the members will check on one another by discouraging the risky behaviors. Secondly, the members will invite professional counselors to help overcome the alcohol drinking and cigarette smoking. The family will undertake physical activities together to build unity in fighting the preventable diseases. Finally, the family will eat healthy diets to reduce the risk of contracting diseases.
Community health promotion plan
The community will also adopt a health promotion plan to boost the welfare of the community members. Firstly, it will increase the budget allocated to health to reduce the prices of medicines in the hospitals located in the community. Additionally, part of the budget will fund the training sessions and free tests for lifestyle disease as well as cancer screening. The local government will also embark on drawing bills that regulate the disposal of harmful wastes in the rivers as well as pollutant emissions. On the other hand, the community will fund the construction of recreation facilities that will charge low prices to give the members of the lower economic class to improve their welfare.
Desired personal behavioral and health outcomes
Every individual has a personal responsibility for his or her health by adopting efficient behavior. Firstly, the individual should eat vegetable and fruits and drink clean water to improve their health. For example, vegetables are rich in nutrients such as potassium and various vitamins that help in maintaining a normal blood pressure as discussed by Webb and Whitney (2012). Moreover, substituting high-calorie foods with vegetables, which have high fibers and low calorie, will help in cutting weight, which minimizes cases of obesity. Similarly, eating vegetables such as broccoli significantly reduces the risks of developing cancers. On the other hand, drinking water will balance body fluids used in all body functions such as digestion, transportation, and absorptions among other duties as shown by Chein and Demura (2011). Research also indicates that drinking water, treats kidney stones as well as weight loss due to increased metabolism. Avoiding drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes will also improve a person’s health status.
Desired family health goals and their benefits
My family has two desirable goals, first, to eliminate risky behaviors such as heavy alcohol drinking and cigarettes smoking while the second goal is to maintain up-to-date family medical history. Elimination of risky behavior in the family will reduce depressions and stress caused by the loss of a loved one due to these habits. Secondly, it will save on resources and reduce the recovery time when a member of the family is ill. On the other hand, complete records of family medical history will help current, and future generations know their probability in suffering from the genetic disorders. Hence, they will respond appropriately. Moreover, when people are aware of the risks they run, they take prevention measure that reduces the cost of Medicare by averting those potential risks.
Recommendations
The analysis and assessment of both my family and the community health have illuminated light on several areas that should be strengthened as well as correcting the shortcoming. Firstly, family members should always discuss their health to learn about the hereditary disorders and control measures. Risky habits such as smoking and heavy drinking should be discouraged since they have adverse effects on the health. Additionally, families should adopt healthy diets such as vegetables and drinking of clean water to evade preventable diseases brought about by poor diets. Similarly, family members should take some activities such as exercise, tests and screening together to build unity in the fight against poor health and preventable diseases. This would promote conscious efforts and open discussions on health promotion among the family members.
Community members should allocate some days to cleaning the environment and planting of trees as a way to conserve the environment. This would create awareness on the importance of community health and act as a culture to care for the environment among the young generations. Besides, the local government in conjunction with the stakeholders in the industries should come up with laws to regulate pollution and dumping of chemical wastes that endanger the community health. Finally, every individual should make the personal effort to keep his or her immediate environment clean. Consequently, the standard of community health will increase.
References
Chein, E., & Demura, H. (2011). Bio-identical hormones and telomerase: The Nobel Prize-winning research into human life extension and health. Bloomington, IN: iUniverse, Inc.
Lee, C. A., Berntorp, E. E., & Hoots, W. K. (2011). Textbook of Hemophilia. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons.
Vickers, P. S. (2009). Severe' combined immune deficiency': Early hospitalisation and isolation. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
Watson, R. R., Preedy, V. R., & Zibadi, S. (2013). Alcohol, nutrition, and health consequences. New York, Humana Press.
http://public.eblib.com/choice/publicfullrecord.aspx?p=994696.
Webb, F. S., & Whitney, E. N. (2012). Nutrition: Concepts and Controversies. Belmont, Calif: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.
