Recommend a new and alternative public health approach, such as communication strategies, program development, policy changes, community engagement, and recommendations for your public health issue from Unit I.
Introduction
Provide a brief overview of the public health issue you wish to address. Identify the issue and its impact on the community.
How does the issue represent a gap or disparity in access, quality, or delivery of health care? Be sure to justify your reasoning.
Justification of Public Health Issue
Describe, in detail, the public health issue that needs to be addressed. Be sure to include the history of the issue, as well as the evidence that substantiates your claim that this is a legitimate public health concern.
What policies, programs, or strategies are already in place to address this issue? Be sure to provide specific examples.
How effective do you feel the existing policies, programs, or other strategies you identified are in terms of promoting health or reducing disparities? Be sure to support your reasoning.
Description of the New/Alternative Public Health Approach
Propose an alternative strategic approach to the previously identified policies, programs, or strategies for addressing the issue and improving access, delivery, or quality of the public health program.
How do you feel this alternative will achieve desired public health goals? Support your response with research.
What resources would be required for this approach? In other words, what will be needed in order to plan, implement, communicate, conduct, and evaluate the strategy you have proposed?
Implementation and Communication Strategies for the Alternative Strategic Approach
Describe, in detail, the outreach strategies you would select to effectively communicate this approach to the target audience and key stakeholders. Be sure to substantiate your claims with research.
What are some of the barriers you might face in trying to change the current public health approach? If you feel no barriers would exist, be sure to explain your reasoning.
Evaluation of Alternative Strategic Approach
How would you evaluate the new strategy or approach to ensure that it is meeting desired public health goals? Specifically, describe the type(s) of data to be collected, method(s) of collection, and frequency of data/program analysis.
Full Answer Section
Food insecurity has a significant impact on the health of individuals and communities. Food insecure people are more likely to experience a variety of health problems, including obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. They are also more likely to experience mental health problems, such as anxiety and depression.
How food insecurity represents a gap or disparity in access, quality, or delivery of health care:
Food insecurity is a barrier to access, quality, and delivery of health care in a number of ways. First, food insecure people are more likely to be uninsured or underinsured. This means that they may not have access to the preventive care and treatment they need to stay healthy.
Second, food insecure people are more likely to live in neighborhoods with limited access to healthy food options. This means that they may have difficulty finding and affording the nutritious food they need to stay healthy.
Third, food insecurity can lead to stress and anxiety, which can have a negative impact on physical and mental health.
New and alternative public health approach:
One new and alternative public health approach to addressing food insecurity is to focus on preventing the problem in the first place. This can be done by investing in programs that reduce poverty, unemployment, and lack of access to transportation.
Another approach is to make healthy food more affordable and accessible to everyone. This can be done by increasing subsidies for healthy food, expanding access to farmers markets, and promoting healthy food options in schools and workplaces.
Finally, it is important to address the stigma associated with food insecurity. Many people who are food insecure are ashamed to ask for help. It is important to create a supportive environment where people feel comfortable asking for the help they need.
Recommendations:
Here are some specific recommendations for addressing food insecurity:
- Increase funding for programs that reduce poverty, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
- Expand access to affordable housing and transportation.
- Increase subsidies for healthy food and expand access to farmers markets.
- Promote healthy food options in schools and workplaces.
- Reduce the stigma associated with food insecurity by raising awareness of the problem and promoting positive messaging.
Conclusion:
Food insecurity is a serious public health problem that has a significant impact on the health of individuals and communities. By investing in programs that prevent food insecurity, improve access to healthy food, and reduce the stigma associated with the problem, we can make a real difference in the health and well-being of our communities.
Sample Answer
Food insecurity is a condition in which people lack consistent access to enough nutritious food to lead a healthy and active life. It is a complex problem with multiple causes, including poverty, unemployment, lack of access to healthy food options, and lack of transportation.
Food insecurity is a major public health problem in the United States. According to the USDA, over 10% of US households were food insecure in 2022. This means that over 38 million people in the US did not have reliable access to enough food to eat.