Evaluating the Outcomes of a Population Health Improvement Initiative
The population health improvement initiative in question was focused on supporting veterans and the elderly, who had previously been neglected in treatment. The person responsible for the initiative has a personal connection with trauma and finds the topic especially relevant to today’s elderly population. The interventions included a variety of procedures, including different types of exercise, medication, therapy, and meditation.
The participant group consisted of approximately 800 people, mostly men aged 45 to 80. All procedures were enacted voluntarily, with subjects choosing to engage in the practices they found useful. Aerobic exercise practices were most widely utilized, significantly improving mood, memory, and muscle control among the population. The results emerged after a month of exercise and were further improved in patients who continued exercising.
In the medication and therapy group, those who did not receive any psychotherapy before their assessment received help and were prescribed the necessary medication. This change resulted in a significant improvement in mood and a slight improvement in memory. This intervention was most significant for individuals who have PTSD. The meditation therapy received the lowest attendance rate. Still, it significantly improved across all three criteria, signifying its potential as an intervention strategy.
Overall, the program has achieved significant progress in helping the older population with brain injury and PTSD. The treatment methods with the most significant degree of improvement have positively impacted the subjects’ moods, memory, and muscle control. Some approaches were also found to be ineffective, contributing to the field’s efforts to identify the best approaches to caring for this demographic. In particular, puzzles and Sudoku were ineffective in changing the participants’ condition. The intervention strategy also had significant limitations, which may call into question the total validity of the results.
As stated by the organizers, the largest limitation is the voluntary nature of all treatments. All patients agreed to participate in the program, indicating that they recognized their issues and actively sought to resolve them. Furthermore, various treatment methods have had wildly different participation rates and group sizes. As a whole, the public health improvement initiative has started the conversation of assisting older populations with PTSD and TBI, while also providing significant leads on which treatment directions may be effective.
Proposing Potential Pathways to the Initiative’s Improvement
Enacting some significant changes may be necessary to improve the success of the public health initiative. As previously identified, the biggest drawback to the initiative was a lack of participation. This includes both people’s willingness to engage with the entire program and their desire to take on specific treatment options.
Expanding the reach of public health initiatives is essential for promoting community safety and well-being. Education plays a central role in engaging larger participant groups. More individuals can be interested in healthcare initiatives by promoting public awareness and helping people recognize the need for treatment.
The main issue of not being able to engage more older people in PTSD and TBI programs is a lack of public education about the effects these conditions have. Oftentimes, individuals choose to live with debilitating conditions and symptoms without considering that they require professional help. Providing the public with the necessary education would work well in supporting individuals’ choices, wellness, and autonomy (“Patient education and participation (PEP)).
Additionally, education is likely to increase the number of participants in PHII programs. This is particularly important for those suffering from the conditions at the center of the program discussed. According to research, patient education is a vital part of treating both PTSD and TBI (Hart et al., 2018; “Elsevier – Patient education │ post-traumatic stress disorder (Adult)). Information provided to both sufferers and their family members contributes to the process of making informed decisions.
The issue of engaging more people in particular intervention programs can also be addressed through improved public education and increased engagement in spreading awareness. Those who have dismissed meditation as a viable strategy for supporting their conditions should receive a more thorough overlook of the effects this type of practice can have on their condition. This way, attracting more participants and retaining them for longer will be possible.
Developing Personal Care Approach: Applying the Initiative’s Insights
In caring for the patient in question, several approaches discussed in public health initiatives can be adapted. Mr. Nowak, a patient, suffers from brain trauma inflicted in the past. No history of PTSD can be noted according to patient records, and the man is not a veteran.
Therefore, some parts of the intervention program will not apply to him. However, approaches that focus on addressing physical wellness, memory, and mood are likely to be beneficial in promoting his overall well-being. As stated by the intervention, aerobic exercise and meditation helped work with patients’ physical and mental well-being.
Furthermore, balance-focused exercises should be incorporated into aerobic training to address the patient’s unique needs. Current research indicates that aerobic exercise and balance training can effectively promote better balance in older adults (Reza Vafaeenasab et al., 2018). Combining the two approaches enables the healthcare delivery process to integrate evidence-tested methods into a unique intervention strategy.
As a result, the proposed treatment plan for Mr. Nowak shall include both of these practices, including guided meditation, individual and group exercise, and regular conversations with his doctors. It is estimated that adopting these approaches will lead to improvements in muscle control, mood, and memory. Mr. Nowak currently experiences trouble keeping his balance, making it vital to strengthen his muscles through regular exercise. Meditation, then, will aid the client in stabilizing his mood and easing anxiety.
Evaluating Outcomes of the Care Approach
Through constant communication with the patient, it will be possible to recognize the success of the intervention program and ensure that it sufficiently addresses his concerns. This evaluation method will enable Mr. Nowak to actively influence the healthcare delivery process, voice his opinions throughout, and feel included in his health management. Furthermore, this process is conducive to good patient education, awareness, and continued agency.
Taking the patient’s feedback, combined with medical tests to assess their mood and muscle control, will be sufficient to control the intervention delivery. Both these approaches to treatment and the methodology of evaluating patient outcomes can be further applied to other patients. Those suffering from PTSD or forms of brain trauma, and especially war veterans, will greatly benefit from engaging in this process.
References
Elsevier – Patient education │ post-traumatic stress disorder (Adult). (n.d.). Elsevier’s Healthcare Hub | Clinical resources from leading experts in health. Web.
Hart, T., Driver, S., Sander, A., Pappadis, M., Dams-O’Connor, K., Bocage, C., Hinkens, E., Dahdah, M. N., & Cai, X. (2018). Traumatic brain injury education for adult patients and families: A scoping review. Brain Injury, 32(11), 1295-1306. Web.
Patient education and participation (PEP). (n.d.). Norwegian University of Science and Technology – NTNU. Web.
Reza Vafaeenasab, M., Amiri, A., Ali Morowatisharifabad, M., Mahdieh Namayande, S., & Abbaszade Tehrani, H. (2018). Comparative study of balance exercises (Frenkel) and aerobic exercises (Walking) on improving balance in the elderly. Elderly Health Journal. Web.