While assessing an individual patient requires an in-person examination, community assessments can be accomplished by synthesizing information found online and in journal articles related to healthcare in the region. For particular areas of Gordon’s Functional Health Patterns Framework (GFHPF), such as Health Perception and Health Management, one may, for instance, search for health facilities in the area and whether medical services are easily accessible to the public (Edelman, Mandle, & Kudzma, 2017).
Because of the advanced infrastructure and the availability of both the healthcare providers and the educational facilities, Miami, Florida, copes well with health risks. The rest of the paper provides detailed information on Miami in terms of each of the items in GFHPF. The assessment focuses on HIV and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).
HIV and STDs are among the most severe challenges in Miami because the rates are highest in the United States. Miami has a substantial amount of health institutions that provide both medical assistance and education on HIV and STDs. The efficacy of these facilities, however, can be put into question because South Florida continues to be the leader in the number of new HIV cases in the US (Mack, 2018).
Because HIV/STD is primarily transferred through sexual intercourse, sex education is necessary for the area. However, the majority of students feel that schools need to allocate more time for this type of knowledge in the curriculum (Miami Workers Center, 2018). Students understand that sex education is significant but state that they need such information to be more accessible.
Breastfeeding is an integral part of child development and a foundational for providing nutrients to children. However, the mother’s milk can become an unintentional source of HIV if the parent has the disease. Therefore, nutritional training and education should include this information. In cases when the mother has HIV, the community should be able to provide access to the required resources to be able to feed the child.
Miami does well in this area because almost every hospital has a lactation consultant, and some universities provide educational programs for women during their pregnancy (Miller School of Medicine, 2019). The stores in the region have everything available to replace the mother’s milk.
Substance abuse is another cause of HIV/STD because the disease can transmit through the blood. The majority of people start consuming drugs because of peer pressure or psychological problems. Therefore, the community should have the necessary facilities for helping people battle stress and depression. Florida Alcohol and Drug Abuse Association (2019) reports that only 0.8% of school students used a needle to inject substances.
This percentage is low – respondents indicated that most of them use non-penetrative methods of substance consumption, such as vaping and smoking (Florida Alcohol and Drug Abuse Association, 2019). It also indicates the efficacy of mental health institutions and emotional support facilities in Miami.
To significantly reduce the number of new HIV cases within the community, the uniform introduction of sex education to schools is necessary. However, this approach is challenging because it necessitates the involvement of the US Department of Education. Politicians will also have to take participation, which not only prolongs the time needed but also adds a possibility that such a change will never be introduced. Another option is to conduct private educational sessions targeted at school students. Miami Workers Center (2018), for instance, regularly holds conferences on sex education and the prevention of HIV.
References
Edelman, C. L., Mandle, C. L., & Kudzma, E. C. (2017). Health promotion throughout the life span. St. Louis, MO: Elsevier Health Sciences.
Florida Alcohol and Drug Abuse Association. (2019). Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey. Web.
Mack, S. (2018). South Florida continues to have highest rates of new HIV cases in the country. WLRN. Web.
Miami Workers Center. (2018). Media alert: 70% of students requested more time spent on comprehensive sex education curriculum. Power U Center for Social Change. Web.
Miller School of Medicine. (2019). Breastfeeding. Web.