- A summary of the health profile of the specific high-risk family group of teen-obesity with explanation of the high-risk condition and associated behaviors or patterns.
Income gap in the United States has been a great determinant of the quality of life that is led by many families in the United States. People with access to finances are able to afford quality housing, healthcare and are able to live in healthy environments. On the contrary people who have low incomes lead low qualities of life that include the occupation of low income houses, which in most cases are in deplorable conditions. Low income people are also not able to access quality health care for both themselves and their children. In addition, the environment that low income people live exposes them to health hazards that make them more vulnerable to various diseases and other health challenges compared to their counterparts who are financially stable. This paper focuses on the teen-obesity especially in low income families.
Most of the teenagers from low income families do not have access to quality food. Food plays a fundamental role in ensuring that people are able to get a balanced diet. Most of the foods that are supposed to promoted healthy eating habits are expensive. Considering that millions of teenagers in low income families are not able to continually purchase high quality food they end up consuming copious amounts of fast foods. Fast foods have a low nutritional value because the purposes of various fast food companies are to expand their consumer base to generate more profits (Bailey, 2006, p.44). Based on this business approach, most of these companies produce foods that might be tasty but in retrospect these foods have a lower nutritional value.
Another factor that has contributed to high levels of obesity among the youth in low income families is the lack of exercise. It has become popular among many youths to spend large amounts of time on the internet or playing computer games that do not aid in the burning of excess calories. This has created a situation whereby many of these teens consume large amounts of calories and cholesterol but they do not get to participate in strenuous physical exercises that help them in burning the excess fats. In addition to the poor eating habits and the lack of exercise, obesity among teens in low income families is also caused by the fact that many of the parents are not actively involved in their children lives. Many low income parents leave the comfort of their homes very early in the morning to take up jobs. This is because they need money to be able to secure the next meal. Due to the meager payments that these families incur from their jobs, it is very difficult for them to have savings. This means that many families in the United States are not able to have enough savings that can be used in the access of quality health insurance and frequent medical checks that can help put them back in course in terms of improving their eating habits and lifestyles
2) Describe assessment of the family type you selected with use of applicable theories.
First of all, low income families can be classified as those who earn less than $100,000 annually. These families do not have enough resources to meet tertiary needs. The goal and objectives of this family type is to meet the basic needs such as food, shelter, and clothing. One of the key theories that can be used to describe this family type is the theory is the concept of priority and preferences. Under this concept, many families that earn low incomes prioritize the meeting of basic needs over tertiary needs that seek to provide comfort. This means that thing like the access of quality health care for teens within this family type is a secondary need. It is something that these families can survive without. In addition, it is important to not that many families that earn low incomes do not prioritize the quality of food that they eat. Instead, they focus on the quantity by making sure that every member of the family unit has enough to eat. This has led to a situation whereby many teenagers from these families feed on low-quality foods which have contributed to cases of obesity and other diseases that are as a result of malnutrition.
A second theory that can be used to describe this type of family is that these two of families are engrained into the workaholic element of the American society. Many parents in low income families do not spend ample time with their children. In order to adequately meet the needs of their families, these parents take up more than two jobs so that they can be able to generate enough income. This means that these parents do not have enough time with their children. They do not clearly understand the kind of activities that their children carry out during the day.
Considering that most of the teenagers are left in the hands of house maids that work for money. These teens from low income families spend lengthy amounts of times on things like computer games which do not require high levels of exercise and physicality. This means that the lifestyles that these children lead on a daily bases contributes to obesity among these children. This is because exercise is fundamental in enhancing the burning of excess fats and calories which results from the low quality foods that these teenagers are subjected to. It is also important to understand that the kind of housing and environment that low income families live in also dictates the prevalence of obesity within teenagers. Most of the low income families live in densely populated areas that are many times crowded. These environments in many cases do not provide ample space for teenagers to exercise. In some cases some of the neighborhoods that low income families live are characterized by high levels of insecurity such that it is risky to go outdoors. It therefore becomes more favorable for these families to remain indoors and engage in activities that require less physicality.
3) Identify applicable Healthy People 2010 objectives for one of the health problems common to this high-risk group. Visit the Healthy People 2010 website at www.healthypeople.gov/ to find three to four health promotion and disease prevention objectives applicable to the specific high-risk family group.
According to Healthy People 2010, there are a couple of prevention objectives that ate applicable to the high-risk family group. One thing that is worth noting is that due to the desperation that results from leading poor lifestyles, many low income families have been associated with the abuse of drugs. The high populations that characterize the areas where most of the low income families reside makes it possible for cases of drug abuse to continue to be prevalent. Among the preventive strategies that Healthy People 2010 focus is addressing the abuse of Tobacco. Many people in low income families abuse tobacco because it is cheap to afford. However, there are many challenges that are associated with Tobacco. Researchers have found out that tobacco is a carcinogen that is linked to different kinds of cancers. Among the most prevalent type of cancer among the people who abuse tobacco is lung cancer. This means that the preventative strategies that are provided by this website are applicable to this high-risk family type.
The second preventive strategy that is applicable to this high-risk family type is HIV and AIDs. Considering that many of the low income families do not have enough finances to sustain their families. Many people have resulted in actions of immorality so as to earn more money. Cases of prostitution are prevalent in low income families. Prostitution is appealing to many low income earners because it provides quick finances that are essential in meeting the needs of their families. However, the participation in actions of prostitution by this high-risk family type exposes them to HIV and AIDs. Due to the low income, many of the people from low income families at times do not know that they have contracted HIV until it’s very late. Education of low income families about the risks and dangers of these practices as well as providing them with a free access to antiviral medication allows this family type to led healthier lifestyles.
Food safety initiative is also a preventive strategy by Healthy People 2010 that is applicable to low income families. This strategy allows this high risk family type to be more vigilant about the type of foods that they feed their families. This allows them to shun the culture of fast foods due to the detrimental effects such as obesity that these foods are likely to generate to these families. Food safety also ensures a healthy workforce that can be able to work in diverse working environments without the limitations of health complications. Therefore, three preventive strategies that are applicable to this high-risk families include the prevention against drug abuse especially tobacco, HIV and AIDs, and food safety.4) Describe 2 nursing intervention strategies applicable to this family situation based on health promotion: health belief models, family theory, and analysis of family function that are supported by literature or research.
Despite the fact that many of the low income families experience difficulties in terms of finances, one of the health belief models that these families should adopt is the fact that staying healthy is vital. Low income should not be used as an excuse to turn to immorality considering the health hazards that such a lifestyle poses. It is also important for these family units that the family unit can function amicably with poor health. This means that despite the need to look for any kind of foods to meet the needs of the family, it is important for the families to make sure that they eat healthy. This prevents these families from being victims of health complications such as obesity.
The second nursing intervention strategy that should be adopted by these high-risk families is that they should avoid the abuse of drugs. In spite of the challenges that life poses, it is not advisable that low income families abuse drugs because it worsens the situation. Drug and substance abuse such as Tobacco exposes these families to chronic illness such as lung cancer (Cho, 2006, p.58). Considering that these families lack enough finances to access quality healthcare substance abuse worsens and complicates their lifestyles.5) Describe the role of the advanced practice nurse as a case manager in this type of nursing situation.References MUST be (4) four, peer-reviewed, books or articles 2003 or newer. No websites other than healthypeople.gov should be used. They must be peer reviewed. APA Graduate level writing style!!!
This type of advanced nursing situation requires a couple of important approaches. First of all, these high-risk family types have to be educated about the lifestyles that they lead. Without education and information about the health risks that are involved it would be difficult for people to understand the importance of preventive strategies. Through education, which can be accessed freely by these people via advanced nursing practices; people become more sensitized about the importance of leading healthy lives (Guido, 2010, p.37).
One of the areas the education can be used is in the reduction of substance and drug abuse within this high risk family type. In addition advanced nursing strategies should involve free guidance and counseling sessions. Under these sessions people can learn about the importance of leading moral lives. It is at these sessions that HIV tests can be conducted to ascertain that people know their health statuses so that they can be able to adjust their lifestyles accordingly. In this way cases of spread of HIV and AIDs within this high-risk family type can be curbed (Durham, 2007, p.23). In addition, it is important that these families be encouraged to allocate some time to cook at home. In this way, they can be able to access healthy feed by not relying on low-quality foods that have been attributed to case of obesity in the American society.
Finance management counseling is also a key area that needs to be addressed within this high-risk family type. Bearing in mind that these families earn meager wages, it is important that these families be educated on some of the healthy ways to spend their money so that some of the most facets of their lives are adequately addressed (Stewart, 2004, p.45).For example, many families struggle to obtain quality foods because they are expensive, but the same families are able to afford money to purchase drugs and other substances that they abuse as part of their leisure (Jefferies, 2003, p.21). Therefore, prioritizing of needs is important in the enhancement of healthy lifestyles in this high-risk family type.
References
Bailey, E. J. (2006). Food choice and obesity in Black America: creating a new cultural diet. Westport, Conn.: Praeger.
Cho, C., & Purohit, V. (2006). Alcohol, tobacco and cancer. Basel: Karger.
Durham, J. D., & Lashley, F. R. (2007). The person with HIV/AIDS: nursing perspectives (3rd ed.). New York: Springer Publishing Company.
Guido, G. W. (2010). Legal & ethical issues in nursing (5th ed.). Boston: Pearson.
HHS Prevention Strategies - Healthy People 2020. (2013). Healthy People 2020 - Improving the Health of Americans. Retrieved March 25, 2013, from http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/about/prevStrategies.aspx
Jefferies, R. (2003). Counselling a recovering drug user a person-centred dialogue. Abingdon: Radcliffe Medical Press.
Stewart, W. (2004). Counseling in nursing: a problem-solving approach. New York: Harper & Row.
