Target Objective
The vision of the Healthy People 2020 program is to develop “societies whereby all people live long, healthy lives” (Healthy People 2020, 2017, para. 2). In order to achieve this vision, the Healthy People 2020 project is guided by various goals or objectives that must be achieved. The selected objective for this discussion is to attain high quality and longer lives that are not characterized by preventable diseases, injuries, disabilities, and premature deaths (Hunley, 2016). This objective can be used to inform various health promotion programs and eventually support the wellbeing of the greatest number of people. The selected health promotion model focuses on the problem of underage drinking and subsequent misbehaviors that affect the health outcomes of more chidlren and teenagers.
Description of the Target Community
The targeted community for this discussion is Miami City in Florida. The health promotion program targets teenagers in different schools and colleges. Although Miami is known for its low drinking rates in the state, it would be necessary to dig deeper in order to understand the nature and issues associated with this problem. To begin with, the level of heavy drinking in the state has been observed to increase by 7.9 percent annually (Herrera, 2015). From 2012 to 2013, the number of teenagers who drink heavily in Miami-Dade was observed to decrease by 0.7 percent. Over 54 percent of residents in the city take alcohol at least once every month (Herrera, 2015). Women were also observed to drink heavily in the county.
Unfortunately, the current information detailing the number of youths who drink alcohol is unreliable. This is the case because many students or underage individuals usually drink when they are in school. Binge drinking has been observed to increase significantly within the past eight years. Although the rate of alcoholism appears to be lower that the state’s average, it is agreeable that new measures can be put in place in order to deal with the malpractice.
Herrera (2015) believes strongly that binge drinking is one of the leading causes of car crashes in different cities such as Miami. Underage drinking is usually believed to promote unhealthy or inappropriate behaviors such as unprotected sex. Early pregnancies, poor grades, and abortions are some of the problems arising from underage drinking. Students who engage in binge drinking have increased chances of becoming school dropouts (Herrera, 2015).
This analysis explains why school going teenagers in Miami will be targeted by the health promotion program. The main focus will be on the dangers of underage drinking. The description will be guided by the first objective of the Healthy People 2020. This is the case because any attempt aimed at transforming the behaviors of different teenagers can result in high-quality and longer lives (Herrera, 2015). This is the case because decreased incidents of underage drinking will result in fewer injuries, abortions, and premature deaths. These causes of death are associated with drinking and can be easily prevented. Similar measures will be embraced in order to tackle the problem of teenage drinking in the state.
Detailed Analysis of the Health Promotion Program
Meeting the Healthy People 2020 Objective
As mentioned earlier, the HP 2020 project seeks to create new societies whereby more people can lead better and longer lives (Healthy People 2020, 2017). One of the outstanding goals of the project is to tackle every issue that results in premature deaths. The proposed health promotion program seeks to educate more teenagers about the issues and dangers of underage drinking. The program will be educative in nature whereby the targeted students and learners will be guided in order to understand the consequences of underage drinking (Hunley, 2016). By so doing, the program will be in accordance with the first objective or goal of the Healthy People 2020 project. When more people are sensitized about underage drinking, it will be easier for them to embrace new behaviors and eventually lead quality lives.
Health Behavior and Associated Health Indicators
The targeted behavior for this health promotion program is underage drinking. This kind of behavior continues to affect the welfare by many teenagers and school-going chidlren. The behavior is detestable because the affected individuals usually drink while in school or at home. More often than not, binge drinking has not received the required attention from teachers and parents (Brady & Li, 2013). Consequently, more chidlren have continued to embrace the malpractice than ever before. Statistics also show conclusively that the number of chidlren engaged in underage drinking is expected to rise unless powerful measures are put in place (Hunley, 2016). This health misbehavior has continued to affect the academic performance of many students.
Several health indicators are associated with this behavior. For instance, many teenagers who engage in binge drinking tend to injure themselves during fights. Such injuries are usually detrimental and can affect the health outcomes of the affected individuals. Teenage pregnancy is another health indicator associated with the problem of underage drinking. The affected girls find it hard to continue with their studies. Cases of abortion have emerged because of this problem. Brady and Li (2013) indicate clearly that car accidents have increased in the recent past because of the binge culture experienced in many learning institutions.
These health indicators show conclusively that the misbehavior should be addressed immediately. This is the case because underage drinking is a risk factor for teenage pregnancies, premature deaths, injuries, and poor health outcomes (Schry & White, 2013). The other indicator is that of alcoholism. More often than not, teenagers who engage in underage drinking become alcoholics. This is a health condition that affects the welfare and wellbeing of every affected individual.
Funding
The proposed program is aimed at addressing a unique problem that affects more youths and teenagers in Miami City. Most of the individuals who engage in binge drinking have been unable to realize their goals in life. That being the case, it would be necessary to support the proposed health promotion program and empower more youths in Miami. In order to achieve this goal, it will be necessary to get adequate funds to support the proposed project. Before launching the health promotion program, several donors and financiers will be identified in order to fund it. Some of these donors will include churches and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
Different organizations such as the AMA Foundation and the Foundation for Alcohol Research (FAR) will be consulted in order to support the proposed project. These organizations are usually ready to support every project aimed at supporting the health outcomes of underserved populations. A social media campaign will be used to receive donations from well-wishers and individuals (Brady & Li, 2013). These donors will be informed about the unique benefits and goals that are targeted by the proposed health promotion program.
Time Plan
The proposed program will be implemented and completed within a period of seven weeks. The start date will be 15th April. The project will be completed on 27th May 2017. During the period, several learning institutions and community centers will be targeted. The beneficiaries will be informed about the dangers of underage drinking and the best measures to re-pattern their behaviors. Members of the community will also be empowered and guided in order to deal with the malpractice (Schry & White, 2013). The time plan presented below will be used to dictate the implementation of the health promotion program. Upon successful completion of the program, more people and teenagers in Miami will be able to transform their lifestyles and tackle the problem of underage drinking.
Targeted Goals
The completed program is expected to deliver positive outcomes or goals. The first objective or accomplishment will be to reduce underage drinking by 25 percent. The second goal is to increase the number of individuals who understand the risks of underage drinking by over 70 percent. The program will also be aimed at minimizing alcohol-related road accidents and injuries. Every participant will be informed about the best measures that can be embraced in order to deal with the problem of underage drinking (Schry & White, 2013). These goals will ensure the health promotion program is in accordance with the goals and objectives of the Healthy People 2020 project.
References
Brady, J., & Li, G. (2013). Prevalence of alcohol and other drugs in fatally injured drivers. Addiction, 108(1), 104-114. Web.
Healthy People 2020. (2017). About healthy people. Web.
Herrera, C. (2015). Miami-Dade reports some of the lowest drinking rates in Florida. Miami Herald. Web.
Hunley, S. (2016). Understanding problematic drinking and social anxiety among college students. Web.
Schry, A., & White, S. (2013). Understanding the relationship between social anxiety and alcohol use in college students: A meta-analysis. Addictive Behaviors, 38(1), 2690-2706. Web.