With the constant increase in population, the healthcare sector continues to be overwhelmed, posing various challenges to the patients’ safety. In response, the nursing field has embraced an initiative to shift to community-based care, which is more effective in giving care and preventing chronic disease complications (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2019). However, to ensure these changes, individuals must have a deep understanding of society’s specific needs. The central focus of this paper will be the lifestyle of my community. Performing risk assessment and educating the community about the importance of lifestyle changes are integral.
Resources Needed to Complete the Community Assessment
Community Health Assessment and Group Evaluation is the most helpful resource for this evaluation. It helps collect and organize information about the community assets and needs (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2010). Furthermore, it outlines the vital areas that require adjustments before deciding on the health concern to be included in the assessment plan. Another essential resource needed for this assessment is an action guide. It outlines the planning steps, design choices, presentation options, and analysis.
Summary of the Findings about the Community
The Gordon framework assessment revealed various lifestyle risks in the community. Gordon’s (2020) health perception-health management pattern revealed that the individuals had not embraced the primary care interventions. They only seek care when the disease is at its severe stages. Individuals are at increased risk for nutritional-metabolic dysfunction due to frequent fast-food consumption. The evaluation of activity discloses that the level of physical exercise is insufficient. The assessment of sleep and rest habits showed that these people leverage good sleep balance. The community’s individual perception review revealed low self-esteem among individuals. The sexuality and reproductive health analysis indicated minimal cases of difficulty in the sexual functioning of individuals. In terms of stress coping and tolerance, the individuals find it hard to manage emotionally challenging situations because of inadequate support systems and institutions. The assessment of values and beliefs indicates the community’s strong religious affiliation.
Community Strengths and Concerns
The community has various strengths that can enable it to adopt the health plan and reduce cases of lifestyle issues. One of these strengths is the excellent sleeping pattern that the members embrace. The community is aware that a good sleeping pattern is essential for reducing stress problems and hence utilize it in fighting stress. Moreover, the community has influential leaders, particularly religious teachers, who can create a positive drive among the members to adopt and follow the new plan.
The community has specific areas of concern and weaknesses that limit it from fighting health problems. For instance, it lacks proper feeding programs for all age groups. Consequently, people make poor choices in terms of nutrition that result in lifestyle-associated diseases like obesity and metabolic syndrome. It is evident in the increasing cases of overweight children and elderly individuals with chronic conditions. Thus, it is critical to raise the community’s awareness of better lifestyle choices.
Barriers to Implementing the Community Health Plan and Ways of Addressing Them
Multiple factors can hinder the implementation of the community’s health plan. One of them is the lack of adequate resources and personnel to facilitate the plan’s performance. Another barrier is the rigidity to change among the community members that results from the fact that it is a closed community with a conservative population. People in the community are unlikely to acknowledge the need for lifestyle adjustments.
The obstacles highlighted can be solved using numerous methods and tactics. Firstly, it is critical to raise public awareness about the presence of a social problem. If a problem is not acknowledged, it is impossible to be resolved. Secondly, it is vital to cooperate with community members to implement the plan. According to Stanhope & Lancaster (2019), individuals tend to support the programs in which their friends and family members are engaged. Lastly, it is essential to spread the message about the social problem and methods to resolve it in the press and social media to prime people to a different mindset about health and disease.
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2010). Community health assessment and group evaluation (CHANGE) action guide: Building a foundation of knowledge to prioritize community needs. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Gordon, M. (2020). Manual of nursing diagnosis (14th ed.). Jones & Bartlett.
Stanhope, M., & Lancaster, J. (2019). Public health nursing e-book: Population-centered health care in the community. Elsevier Health Sciences.