This paper analyzes important health issues that have been bothering American society lately. As we know, the main functions of public health institutions are assessment, assurance, and policy development. Assurance includes evaluation of the community health issues, providing care, enforcing laws to work with the problems of public health, assuring a professional workforce. Assessment functions through diagnosing and investigating public health issues, and through accurate public health monitoring. Finally, Policy development is needed to mobilize community groups and active partnerships, inform and educate the society, and develop policies and grants designed to improve public health state and solve the problems. This paper will present five articles related to public health issues, all the articles have been found and retrieved from the biggest news websites.
The first article was taken from the online portal of USA Today. The article informs about caffeine intake among kids and teenagers. The author of the article says that “the American Academy of Pediatricians discourages caffeine consumption by young people” (Healey, 2014). The article states that the general amount of caffeine consumed by the young people of America did not increase since 1999, but new sources of caffeine appeared. Earlier the main source of caffeine for kids and teenagers was soda. Now young people mostly prefer energy drinks and coffee. The article also informs that even though caffeine is considered safe for human health, the research of the impact caffeine makes on the growing organisms of children and adolescents is being made these days. To summarize the article, we can see how it is related to the core public health functions. It provides education of the society, evaluates an important public health problem, investigates to solve the problem.
The next article is taken from the USNews website. It touches on an important public health issue regarding the sensitivity towards the flu virus among the male population. The team of researchers found out that patients with a higher level of testosterone are more sensitive to viral and bacterial infections. In general, “women have had more robust responses to vaccines for other diseases as well” (Weaker Immune Systems Make Men More Vulnerable to the Flu, 2014). Interestingly, testosterone provides men with many enhanced characteristics, yet it lowers immunity. The study suspects that this may be done by nature to bring a certain balance into the relative chances to survive of more or less equal numbers of male and female species. This article presents an investigation in the field of a big public health issue, such as flu resistance, it collects and monitors the data for this health issue, it also informs the society about the new researches.
The third news article is also taken from the USNews website and it has general information about the infectious diseases that are a concern for US society. The article identifies the top four most dangerous threats that have been presenting a growing danger for the people of the United States of America. First place takes HIV, because of its growing number of victims in the gay society. The researchers of the problem say that to prevent the disease from spreading, several factors that contribute to the increased risk of contagion must be paid attention to. These factors are “being mentally ill, using drugs, being unemployed and being uninsured” (These Infectious Diseases Are a Concern for the U. S., 2014). The second place is taken by hospital-acquired infections. The number of victims of this kind of infection is hard to calculate because lots of hospitals still are not obliged to report such cases. “Under the Affordable Care Act … hospitals will be charged for positive patient outcomes” (These Infectious Diseases Are a Concern for the U. S., 2014). This will help to reduce hospital-acquired diseases. Number three disease is whooping cough, as millions of American children do not receive the needed number of vaccinations. Finally, the fourth position is taken by the diseases coming from abroad. They are caused by traveling, importing exotic foods, and climate change. The diseases that have been long gone may have a chance to reappear. This article presents assessment in the form of diagnoses, assurance thorough evaluation of the problems caused by infectious diseases, and policy development through spreading the information and law enforcement.
The next article comes from CNN Health and evaluates the increasing numbers of patients turning to “over-the-counter drugs for relief when they have minor pains” (Smith, 2014). The article tells about social protests against high-dose opioids and hydrocodone-based medications. So we already can see how the article is related to policy development through community mobilizing.
The fifth article is taken from NBC news and it presents a report about foods containing a hazardous chemical called ADA. It is found in pastries and bread; it is allowed in the US, but forbidden in other countries. Senator Schumer is suggesting banning ADA, but US Food and Drug Administration “states that ADA can be used safely in small amounts” (Hundreds of Foods in U. S. Contain Hazardous Chemical, 2014). In this article, we can see assessment and assurance functioning through evaluation and monitoring of the issue, and law enforcement.
Reference list
Healey, M. (2014). Young People Finding New Sources of Caffeine. USA Today. Web.
Hundreds of Foods in U. S. Contain Hazardous Chemical: Report. (2014). NBC News.
Smith, S. (2014) New Pain Pill’s Approval: Genuinely Frightening. CNN Health.
These Infectious Diseases Are a Concern for the U. S. (2014). USNews.
Weaker Immune Systems Make Men More Vulnerable to the Flu. (2014). USNews. Web.