Healthy People 2020 Goals For Vulnerable Populations

(Shepherd, 2008). According to the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services (2010), a main component of the WIC program focuses on maternal nutrition during pregnancy. Eligible mothers in the WIC program undergo an initial nutritional screening to allow for early detection of deficiencies and risks that later contribute to poor growth and health in infants. (New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, 2010). Participants are provided with nutritionists and counselors to develop a plan to eliminate any risks to the health of the mother and child. WIC also promotes a healthy lifestyle to prevent complications and disease during pregnancy and birth. Low maternal weight and poor weight gain in pregnancy have also been shown to add to the risk of preterm birth, low birth weight and failure to initiate breast-feeding . Lack of proper nutrition during pregnancy can cause potential health problems for the child later in life, including cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. (Shepherd, 2008). According to Anne Ross, babies born to mothers with nutritionally-deficient diets are more likely to suffer from impaired brain development, low birth weight, and higher risk of disease development especially during early childhood. (2003). The WIC program allows for women to be referred to many public services including home care and social workers. WIC collaborates with various nutritional programs such as the Office of Nutrition and Fitness,

Since 1980, the United States has taken on 10-year plans that outline certain key national health objectives set to be accomplished during a 10-year timeframe (Shi & Singh, 2015). These initiatives are founded on medical care with prevention services, health promotion, education, community health care, and increased access to integrated services. The initiative, Healthy People 2010: Healthy People in Healthy Communities, launched in 2000. The initiative emphasizes the role of community partners such as

Since its inception, WIC has seen increases in enrollment and has responded by establishing 10,000 clinic sites including county health departments, hospitals, mobile clinics, community centers, schools, migrant health sites and Indian Service facilities (USDA, 2015). Almost 46,000 merchants across the U.S accepted WIC vouchers that provide nutritious foods for families in 2015, according to the USDA. WIC has established overall goals of providing “vouchers for supplemental nutritious foods, education and counseling at WIC clinics, and screenings/referrals to other health and welfare services” (USDA, 2015). In addition to these goals, WIC has joined the Healthy People 2020 federal initiative to achieve the major breastfeeding goals of

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention mission is to collaborate to create information and tools for people and communities to protect themselves through health promotion, prevention of disease, injury and disability, and the preparedness for new health threats The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention seeks to accomplish its mission by working with partners throughout the nation and the world to monitor health, detect and investigates health problems, conduct research to enhance prevention, develop and advocate sound public health policies, implement prevention strategies, promote health behaviors, foster safe and healthful environments, and provide leadership training. In order for the Centers for Disease to achieve their mission, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention relies on external partners including public health association, state and local public health agencies, schools and universities, and volunteer organizations. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a created a set of four health protection goals. The goals are all people especially those at a greater risk of health disparities will achieve their optimal life span, the place where people live, work, learn, and play will protect and promote their health and safety, people in all communities will be protected from infectious, occupational environmental, and terrorist threats, and people around the world will

I feel there are many strengths to this Supplemental Nutrition Program. For instance, studies show that WIC plays an important role in improving birth outcomes and containing health-care costs. WIC has a positive impact on children’s diets and also provides nutrition and education counseling. WIC also improves infant-feeding practices by actively promoting breastfeeding as the best method of feeding infants. These are just a few of the strengths this program has to offer.

Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is a federally funded public health nutrition program that provides various services to income-eligible women, breast feeding or postpartum women, infants, and children up to age 5 years old. The WIC program provides nutritional education and counseling, nutritious foods, breastfeeding support, and health care referrals if applicable to applicants. This program has been effective in the reduced rate of premature births, low birth weight babies, fetal and infant deaths, incidence of low iron (anemia), improved diet quality, increased immunization rates, increased consumption of key nutrients by pregnant women, and an increase access to earlier prenatal care.

A community health assessment is a fundamental instrument of public health practice. Its objective is to depict the health of the community, by presenting information on health standing, community health needs, resources, and epidemiologic and other studies of present local health problems. It seeks to recognize target populations that may be at augmented risk of poor health results and to increase a better understanding of their needs, as well as evaluates the larger community surroundings and how it relate to the health of people. It also identifies those areas where better information is desired, particularly information on health differences amid different subpopulations, quality of health care, and the incidence and severity of disabilities in the population. The Community Health Assessment is the foundation for all local public health development, giving the local health component the instance to recognize and network with key community leaders, businesses and concerned residents about health priorities and concerns. This information shapes the foundation of improving the health status of the community by way of a strategic plan (The Municipal Public Health Services Plan Community Health Assessment Guidance and Format, n.d.).

In 2010, Healthy People 2020 was started by the Department of Human Health Services. Health programs and research topics were instituted to help Americans live healthier and longer lives (CDC, 2014). The 42 topics presented are all very important in maintaining the goals set by Healthy People 2020. If these programs were to be cut or budget restraints imposed on them, the impact would be felt by all Americans. There would be more unhealthy people, preventable chronic diseases would be more prevalent, and education and health associated programs would be

Health people 2020 is focused on promoting health, protecting health, and providing preventative services. The plan is to decrease health disparities by improving the health of certain groups in need of better health care. The Health People 2020 initiative wants to prevent chronic disease such as cancer, diabetes mellitus, and heart disease.

We all know someone who has suffered from heart disease. Whether it was from a heart attack, congestive heart failure, or stroke, some type of cardiovascular disease has taken the life of someone we loved way too soon. This epidemic of heart disease must be stopped through the collaboration of physicians, nurses, law makers, and concerned citizens. The purpose of this paper is to examine cardiovascular disease, the risks associated with heart disease and obesity per Milo’s framework, comparison of obesity and Healthy People 2020 national goals, and finally the long-term and short-term goals and interventions selected for this paper.

Over two thirds of my life have been spent living in a western suburb of a large metropolitan area which has access to extensive resources. I grew up in a rural area and thought it would be interesting to look at what resources they have and how their needs are defined in the community health needs assessment (CHNA). The two CHNAs chosen to review were Pekin Hospital and Morris Hospital and Healthcare Center (MHHC), both are nonprofit organizations. Pekin Hospital is a 107 bed medical center located in Pekin, Illinois. Their defined their area of service with the use of only a map and its total population of 135,394. Morris Hospital and Healthcare Center CHNA has a more extensive definition of its physical community which included 5 counties, 22 cities and a population of 112,742. Their medical facilities include a main hospital campus with a total capacity of only 89 beds, two other hospital campuses and nine health care centers.

The controversial increase in the rate of health issues in underserved Los Angeles communities has led to the establishment of the Community Health Councils in 1992. Community Health Councils (CHC) is a non-profit, community-based systems change and health policy organization whose mission is to improve health in underserved communities by promoting social justice and achieving equity in community and environmental resources. Through CHC’s Model for Social Change (Figure 2), they have been able to develop projects geared towards eliminating health disparities, improving access to healthcare, and building better environments to increase community well-being. Throughout the years, CHC has led numerous efforts that have shifted

The program received federal funding in 1974, and the WIC programs are often offered through local health departments or state health and welfare agencies. There is a certain criteria women, infants, and children have to meet to receive the benefits of the program. Since 1974 the program has grown tremendously. “The average number of monthly WIC participants was 88,000; in 2014 that number was just over nine million women, infants, and children” (McKenzie, et al.). WIC has been proven to be one of the most effective ways to improve the health of women, infants, and children. “Research indicates that participants in the WIC program during pregnancy provides women with a number of positive outcomes, some of which include birth to babies with higher birth weights, fewer fetal and infant deaths, and increased rate of breastfeeding initiative” (McKenzie et

A community profile is used to assess the health and social needs of a local population and is used as a means of obtaining accurate and appropriate information on which to base priorities when spending budgets. Community profiling ensures that decisions regarding the needs of the population will be based on solid information and evidence (Naidoo, Wills and Naidoo, 2009). A community profile needs to determine a local population’s needs and demands, together with what provisions are currently in place to meet these demands. In order to provide an accurate community profile it I essential that it I know what a community is, Laverack’s (2004) definition of a community illustrates that individuals may belong to

Identification of the community health problem to be addressed and Assessment of the level of the problem (Ctb.ku.edu, 2016)